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Canadian Storyteller Karen Godson My Story Poems of Desire Poems from a Broken Heart If... Evolving Soap Box Reader's Reviews Picture This!

I will not pass from this world knowing I could have done more and didn't.

New Word Ordered

I think it’s time we

redefined civilized.

It’s meaning is blurred,

by the greed in our eyes.

The grass IS greener,

and the money tree thrives,

while families are homeless.

Define civilized.

Churches are burning,

Hate crimes on the rise.

Children are learning

to fear and despise.

Women are beaten,

their bruises disguised,

I’d say its time we

redefined civilized.

Flat-screen or laptop,

Baked potato or fried,

Latte` or Mocha,

Straight leg or wide?

"What the hell do you mean,

approval denied?"

Still, your neighbours are hungry.

Define civilized.

Shame Shame

My eyes stared blankly through the slime-covered glass, at the river of pedestrians on the sidewalk. I saw the three Muslim women first, marching with their heads draped in silk. Modest but demanding to be heard, they carried flimsy home made signs; Bristol board condemning Bush for his oil addiction. I swallowed, my face flushed with shame. Shame that I wasn't walking with them, and that I hadn't thought of it before. I made a mental note to get off here on my way back from my appointment. As the streetcar reached the intersection, I noticed a bend in the walking river. The massive crowd turned right and surged up University Avenue. My eyes instinctively looked ahead to the mouth of the river, where it oozed into a sea of Anti-war demonstrators, and all I could think was,
" Why didn't I know this was going on?"
As we drove away, past the myriad police-horse trailers and foot patrol amassing behind City Hall, I again chastised myself.
" Never mind not knowing this was going on. Shame on you for not being the one who organized it!"