I don't know what to say

to a member of Congress
who yells, “You lie” at our
President, like a drunk fan
yelling at a referee, or

a pastor who spews hate
from his pulpit, wishing
our President would die
a natural death because,

“We don’t need another
holiday.” The comments
are connected across
our continent by one

thing, one thread, one
ugly truth that is hard
to call out by name:
they are racist words --

all of them. I know
such claims don’t make
for beautiful poetry,
but I don’t know what
else to say.

Peace,
Milton