Lights For Liberty Poem by Jim Yerman

Last night we attended a vigil…it was entitled Lights for Liberty
It was set up to protest the treatment of immigrants
who have come to America to be safe, to be happy…to be free.

I'm sad to admit when we were about to leave we looked out in our back yard
and for a moment thought about not going…it was raining a little too hard.

We thought about not going to this protest…
protesting centers where children's basic needs are not being met
because it was too windy…
to rainy…
We thought of not going…because we might get a little too wet!

And it made me wonder have we become too jaded
has treating people this way become so much the norm
that when given the chance to stand up and fight
we might not go…because of a little storm?

We live in a wonderful country
where our freedom is constantly on display
but it's up to those of us who are free here
to keep fighting to keep it this way…

To raise our voices in protest
To light a candle for the whole world to see
To stand up and not sit down again
until everyone in this country is free.

So we ventured out in spite of the rain
we sang songs, lit our candles too
and we added our voices to the voices of others
speaking for the ones…no one is listening to.

And now that the candle has been lit
may we never again let complacency make us forget what this protest is about!
And my we never again let a little rain…
or the inhumane policies of our government
douse that flame
or blow our candle out.