Poems of Resistance, Power & Resilience – Robin Lynn Millstone

As the incoming administration builds its agenda of attack on marginalized people, on freedom of speech, on the earth itself, poetry will continue to be an essential voice of resistance. Poets will speak out in solidarity, united against hatred, systemic oppression, and violence and for justice, beauty, and community.

In this spirit, Split This Rock is offering its blog as a Virtual Open Mic. For the rest of this frightening month, January of 2017, we invite you to send us poems of resistance, power, and resilience.

We will post every poem we receive unless it is offensive (containing language that is derogatory toward marginalized groups, that belittles, uses hurtful stereotypes, etc.). After the Virtual Open Mic closes, we hope to print out and mail all of the poems to the White House.

For guidelines on how to submit poems for this call, visit the Call for Poems of Resistance, Power & Resilience blog post. 

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Who Hears the Voice of the Voiceless?
by Robin Lynn Millstone

Who hears the voice of the voiceless?
Who holds the power for change?
Who has the sway in persuasion?
Who sees beyond the short range?
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In order for our country to be and remain a truly legitimate world leader, we must

strive to constantly monitor, adjust and improve ourselves, while being able to 

morph in an instant with the winds of change. We are the United States. And in 

every nuance of our name, we are STATES, UNITED! United in our universal entitlement, as human beings, to live our lives as WE choose - by sheer right of 

birth. The fathers of our country used such specific language to protect our 

freedoms; and even though their era disallowed true freedom for everyone, our founding fathers made sure to keep an open forum for improvements as time and cultures advanced. They knew that nothing ever remains the same and a good 

country takes into account all possibilities to better itself. We must be brave and 

just in looking at ourselves as a whole. We must find and listen to those who can envision our future and lead us toward a world where we can be in charge of our 

own destinies with pride and choice. If we don’t lead the world by example, we have 

no right to consider that we are, in any form, an authority on FREEDOM.
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Our power is chillingly mighty;
Our influence grows by the day.
Our judgments are made most rashly!
Our values move ever astray...
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As the most powerful country in the world, we must accept the limitations of being human, just as our forefathers did. Humanity is built upon our ancient beginnings. 

We are a naturally warring species, and as such, we must endeavor to grow and 

improve – work to rise above long ingrained tendencies. We need true leaders who 

lead by example using insight and wisdom, thus, inspiring and motivating others 

around them; not wannabe leaders hiding behind false confidences, using bravado 

and charisma to gain power for their agenda. Mindful and mindless leaders of every 

ilk are deeply rooted in all races, colors and creeds. Politicians wills are built upon 

their winning hands. We, the people, must pause and listen and watch those we 

choose for our leaders, lest we find trickery in forms of bills and legislation built 

on open corporate palms and empty promises. We are the People! Each and every 

one of us are The United States – States, united in the single goal of achieving freedom and truth. For one cannot be had without the other. One of our most 

beloved founding fathers, Thomas Jefferson stated, “The entire art of 

government is the art of being honest”. Old truths can set us free, for we are most assuredly, who we were...
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Our time here on earth - so fleeting...
Life lessons derived from the Source –
The Age of Truth is upon us!
Let’s find a clear approach and course.
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We are all children of the Light, and thus are required, as human beings, to strive 

to understand the reality of our truths. We are obliged to uncover the 

ludicrousness of our modern circumstance - by way of the many validations placed before us. It is our responsibility to find ways to educate our nation on the positive points of living side by side in cultural harmony, allowing ALL people of virtue to 

live and believe what they will, as we spread our own individual brand of light into a country - in desperate need of healing...
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Our future is ours to ponder;
Our vistas have yet to unfold.
Let's forge our fronts - stand UNITED!
A new proclamation from old...
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The Light shades the Dark -The Dark shades the Light;
with lines drawn ostensibly in black and white...