A Slight Rustle in the Rabbit Whole by Peno Hardesty

it caught me off guard--- a slight rustle in the brush---but it was there---we are rising----

the wind carried a voice from time
" tell me child do you fear someone with different eyes or hair colour than you?"
no
"why?"
i don't know

"because no one told you to"

we are rising

the setting sun cast shadows along the ground and the shadows danced and the shadows reminded me that all is not as it appears

we are rising

there are those who arm themself with weapns of war
there are those who did not see ferguson as identical to the clash between children throwing rocks and bottles at the israeli army
children with rocks and bottle met by tanks and militarized police
why
because the palastinians are "other"
and the black youth are seen as 'other"

the old horse walked close and i remembered we are herd
we regulate our heartbeat to one another

we are rising

we are rising

there are those who ridicule
there are those who criticize

there are those who refuse to listen to the wind
there are those who do not feel the breath of life
nor feel the heartbeat of tomorrow

there
in the brush
a slight rustle

we are rising

may we find our own courage
may we find one another

blessings