crowds ripple
stuttering tides
ebb and course
through a wide
well of bodies
crested waves
carry
chants
covert commands
quakes of
conviction that surge
and then
disperse
we wade deep
into the well of bodies
arms linked to
stay afloat
our eyes scan
the shifting swells
as lines of men
with guns
draw closer and
smile
consider the
rabble roused
the crowd’s
current is tension electric
any moment our
collective breath
could lung to
life the next battle hymn
---
Suddenly the hideous
crack of stun grenades
The nauseating
cackle of tear gas canisters
The rippling
crowd turns into a tsunami
Waves of terror
crash
Upon sensory
shores
And all around
the pounding splash
Of panicked feet
against pavement
You turn and
bolt
The crowd becomes
a blur as you lurch me away from the glowing smoke
No. No no no. No No no no No no No
I grab your
slipping hand
Heave you from
the fearful current
Pulling us to
shelter
I cradle your
face
The acrid whiff
of explosives
Dangerously
close
We don’t run we
don’t run we don’t run
don’t you know
slow is smooth
and smooth is
fast
when time itself
speeds up
you must gather
your old bones
and with every
ancient tendon of your will
pull time back
Resist the rip
tide in the ocean of bodies
It will drown
you
Resist the
hemorrhage of reason in your panicked brain
It will bleed
you dry
even if every
crevice of your body
feels the
shockwaves of fear
even if your
splintered mind
darts ahead of
you
even if every
itching nerve
screams for you
to run
slow is smooth
and smooth is fast
---
the chemical
haze cloud of menace
evaporates
as a sea of
desperate reddened eyes
peer towards the
ivory tower
big man steps
onto balcony
big suit taps
microphone
big jowls quiver
as big man
clears last chunk of
coward from back
of throat
go home,
citizens
don’t worry that
change is slow
don’t you know
slow is smooth
and smooth is fast
we can’t run
towards the blind sunrise of freedom
it’s too
dangerous
arms still
clutched in yours
I peer into your
eyes
And see
Every buried
burning
Need to RUN
-----
Don’t you know
Slow is smooth
And smooth is
fast
But I just wanna
run, big man
When will we be
free to run
When will every
buried burning
Need
To RUN
Be set free
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