Diminished Sanities Poem by Lawrence S. Pertillar

To get beyond a crisis divisive,
Takes more than old tactics used...
As a device to suffice it.
And kept repeatedly enacted to expect
Effective change to claim it done.

Steps to correct disparities,
And racial injustice...
Takes a redoing that retools,
A mindset to completely overhaul.
With a picking up all the balls,
Dropped to believe them to go away.
To stay that way unnoticed.

The presence of police has of yet,
Increased the peace on urban streets.
Where unrest is fed by those feeding,
Their feasting upon a selfishness...
Elsewhere.
To then solicit,
An empathy and understanding...
For their lack of comprehending,
Whose wants and needs have gone...
Unexpectedly neglected.

Kept vanities and diminished sanities
Are seldom not that distant,
To go unrecognized...
As being related to one another.
Since Cain, Abel, Adam and Eve,
The relationships between...
Good intentions and evil deeds,
Has always left one or more...
An opportunity to deceive,
Humanity to choose...
Who lies to do it best.
And truth,
If not impressively addressed...
Continues to be ignored and left,
As having no benefit to accept.
To respect and keep protected.