Rip, Dreamers Poem by Jenn Rayl

Where have they gone,
The lofty ‘idealings',
The stalwart idols,
Compassionate feelings?

Brought to their knees
The leaders of daughters and sons.
Slashed to the ground
By hate and the folly of guns.

In their hands - destruction,
Their eyes - remorse.
In their hearts, no compassion,
Their souls forlorn.

Where is the laughter?
The joy is gone.
The dreams took flight
With the century's dawn.

Cruelty and avarice, concentrated.
Even their words are desecrated.

Where is the faith
That all is good?
That we'd help one another
As best we could?

Gone with the ones who lead us astray.
Gone with the wars that won't go away.
Gone with the liar, the racketeer type,
‘Til all that remains is greed and hype.

The bugaboo-pushers,
The malls and marts
And cheerless faces
From empty hearts.

All that remains
Is merely clay -
The American Dream
Has passed away.