We sweep it under the carpet
pretend it isn’t happening
think about something else
whistle loudly to drown out the thoughts

or that attention that keeps dragging us back
that little thing that happend the other day

the mistake we made

that moment we were rude
the blossoming annoyance at some tiny indiscretion
that comment that hurt someone like hell
the time we walked away instead of helping
when we gave no change though it was jingling in our pockets
when we didn’t stop a crime as it’s none of our business
when we were too afraid to interfere in a bad situation and stop it
when we were silent and should have spoken out

we turn our eyes and ears away
and frown

we wonder why the mind thinks it’s so important – and makes us look back

Over and over – we drag our attention away and again and again it turns back
we don’t want to dwell on it, we don’t want to think about it, we don’t want to go there
while out intuition screams at us
we can’t pretend it’s not happening now
our guts know.
we can’t ignore it now
we growl through gritted teeth trying to keep our mouths closed.
we can no longer turn away
we have to open our eyes and look

In the meantime – like toothache – this little inconsequential thing gets larger and larger
until it fills the whole world – and we can no longer ignore it -pretend it’s not happening –
believe it isn’t there – because it’s become so huge
We have to pay attention now – as it has got so large we will walk into it like it’s a brick wall

This is now

No matter how distracted we are –
how we inundate ourselves with work or personal problems or chat or social media

it’s here – this huge wall

now

we all have to make choices – now  – we all have to take sides – now
ignorance is no longer a choice
this we cannot ignore.

we all have to DO SOMETHING
We can no longer sit on the sidelines as there are no sidelines left, we can no longer sit on the fence as it has been swept away, we can no longer hide under a bushel as they have all been stolen, our bridges are gone and our rose tinted glasses have burned to dust.

We cannot hide, we cannot escape, we cannot ignore this one – it’s too big

and it involves all of us, not just some leader or some social worker, or a lawyer, or somebody else – no, this involves all of us and must be seen by all of us and must be changed by all of us – we can no longer abdicate responsibility and point to someone else saying it’s their fault and not mine .
This is no longer true.
We are all responsible.

So, what do we do, what do we want?  – What is the change that we can make – as it’s up to us now.

As usual the musicians take the lead, or entertainers speak out, whatever it is we don’t want to hear – they say – they announce or denounce – and we know they are right.
– the jester always warns the crown –
They are ahead of most of us – we who just consume, who want to stay asleep in our little dopamine dreams – but this is no longer possible – everyone has to wake up now.

reality has come knocking and we all hear the alarm.
get out there,
say what we mean,
stand our ground.
Help out –
help someone, anyone.

We must do the damn work ourselves –

the change is us, and what we say and do now –  IT MATTERS

it was such a small thing – we thought it would go away if we ignored it
but not this time, not this thing, the change is NOW