 |
—The New York Times, May 30, 2025 |
For now, strip a half-million refugees of any illusion of safety or mercy
Allow honorably-serving transgender troops to be expelled from the military, for now
For now, okay the use of the 1798 Alien Enemies Act against Venezulean immigrants
Condone the termination of awarded grants that promote diversity and tolerance, for now
Do not get excited.
This is not the end of democracy.
This is “for now.”
Someday, we, the Justices of the Supreme Court, might stand up.
Might defend the Constitution, could uphold the separation of powers.
May act, at last, as a check upon an utterly lawless and corrupt regime.
Not today.
But perhaps, someday.
Pepper Trail is a poet and naturalist based in Ashland, Oregon. His poetry has appeared in Rattle, Atlanta Review, Spillway, Kyoto Journal, Cascadia Review, and other publications, and has been nominated for Pushcart and Best of the Net awards. His collection Cascade-Siskiyou was a finalist for the 2016 Oregon Book Award in Poetry.
