Do not point your gun at a child

Do not point your gun at a child

 

Once you were a child too,

And your father must have carried you

On his shoulders, from where

You could look the grown-ups in the eyes.

 

Do not point your gun at a child

Who holds in her hand a bag of crisps—

Food her only weapon, her father’s shoulders

The only vantage point for this world

 

That burns in flames before her.

People have come to ask for dignity,

This girl must learn it is safe to ask

For a better life, do not point your gun at her.

 

Once you were a child too

And your father must have carried you

On his shoulders, from where

You could see the world you will live in:

 

Do not point your gun at this girl

Do not point your gun at her father,

Take off your helmet and look in their eyes

There is a love of life in them you can only see

 

If you do not point your gun at this girl,

Who is learning at a tender age that no man

Should kneel on the neck of another man,

That no one has the right to take another’s life.

 

June 1, 2020