Reality

 

I invited my friends to write love poems for Valentine’s Day. ‘Glorious love!’ I proclaimed. 

But that was before police in Sydney knocked an old woman down so violently that it broke her spine in four places. It was before they held a young man on the ground and kidney-punched him over and over – which was caught on camera. It was before they forcibly dragged away a group of men who were sitting and praying; also caught on the news. 

The police have assured the public these things did not actually happen. 

The Police Minister told the Parliament, vehemently, that any future protest marches would be ‘antagonising the police.’ (Corollary: marchers will deserve any violence they receive.)

Only love can overcome hate, our great teachers have always told us. I believe them. But sometimes loving our enemies becomes difficult – our enemies who are supposed to be our protectors.

Yesterday I was still thinking,’Well at least we don’t live in America.’ But the sickness has spread.

We can barely believe what we are contemplating now on our TV screens.

I shut my eyes

those images remain –

I shut them harder

Written for Friday Writings #214 at Poets and Storytellers United.