How can we atone - v3

How can we atone for
our past, our nation's failures
real injustice promulgated
hate, racism, oppression
for countless generations;
a curse, a disease, this legacy
upon our people, this nation
from our very beginnings
a divide, our original sin.

How can we atone
now, in this painful moment,
to change, to transform,
to repent of our sins;
we stand divided, walls between us
separate camps, belief structures,
not seeing one path forward
a way through this valley
this gulf we have created.

How can we atone
how can we repair the breach
how can we come together
so much to do, to change,
so many wrongs to be righted;
so much of our dream of America
the words needing meaning
to achieve our destiny
as individuals, as a people.

How can we atone
inspite of so many voices
angry voices shouting
so much pain, injustice,
over so many generations;
we must start now, this instant,
in this time, in this moment;
America can be much better
than our long history.

‐---------
edited July 15, 2020
How can we atone - v3

edited July 14, 2020
We must atone

edited July 14, 2020
How can we atone - v2

July 14, 2020
How can we atone

‐----------
poem, poetry, America, Declaration of Independence, prejudice, injustice,slavery, sin, colonization, genocide, eugenics, sterilization, institutionalization, racism, sexism, misogyny, Confederacy, Black Lives Matter, unalienable rights, life, liberty, pursuit of happiness, franchise, right to vote, ignorance, cruelty, oppression, Hamilton, Jefferson, Washington, Lincoln, Obama, Trump, Biden, Lewis, King Jr, compromise, complicity, corruption, hate, anger, God,

All of my poems, photographs, and videos are copyrighted by Raymond A. Foss, 1999, 2000, 2001, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019 and 2020. All rights are reserved. Contact me at Ray Foss (raymondafoss@gmail.com) for usage. See all 52,540+ of my poems at www.raymondafoss.blogspot.com Poetry Where You Live.

We must atone

We must atone for
our past, our corporate failures
real injustice promulgated
for countless generations;
a curse, a disease, this legacy
upon our people, this nation
from our very beginnings
a divide, our original sin.

We must atone
now, in this moment,
we need to change, to transform,
to repent of our sins;
but we stand divided, separate camps
not seeing one path forward
a way through this valley
this gulf we have created.

We must atone
we must come together
so much to do, to change,
so many wrongs to be righted;
so much of our dream of America
the words needing meaning
to achieve our destiny
as individuals, as a people.

We must atone
inspite of so many voices
so much pain, injustice,
over so many generations;
we must start now, this instant,
in this time, in this moment;
America can be much better
than our history.

‐----------
edited July 14, 2020
We must atone

edited July 14, 2020
How can we atone - v2

July 14, 2020
How can we atone

‐----------
poem, poetry, America, Declaration of Independence, prejudice, injustice,slavery, sin, colonization, genocide, eugenics, sterilization, institutionalization, racism, sexism, misogyny, Confederacy, Black Lives Matter, unalienable rights, life, liberty, pursuit of happiness, franchise, right to vote, ignorance, cruelty, oppression, Hamilton, Jefferson, Washington, Lincoln, Obama, Trump, Biden, Lewis, King Jr, compromise, complicity, corruption, hate, anger, God,

All of my poems, photographs, and videos are copyrighted by Raymond A. Foss, 1999, 2000, 2001, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019 and 2020. All rights are reserved. Contact me at Ray Foss (raymondafoss@gmail.com) for usage. See all 52,540+ of my poems at www.raymondafoss.blogspot.com Poetry Where You Live.

How can we atone - v2

How can we atone
for our past, our corporate failures
real injustice promulgated
for countless generations;
a curse, a disease, this legacy
upon our people, this nation
from our very beginnings
a divide, our original sin.

How can we atone
now, in this moment,
needing to change, to transform,
to repent of our sins;
but we stand divided, separate camps
not seeing one path forward
a way through this valley
this gulf we have created.

How can we atone
how can we come together
so much to do, to change,
wrongs to be righted;
so much of our dream of America
the words needing meaning
to achieve our destiny
as individuals, as a people.

How can we atone
with so many voices
so much pain, injustice,
over so many generations;
we must start now, this instant,
in this time, in this moment;
America can be much better
than our history.

‐----------
edited July 14, 2020
How can we atone - v2

July 14, 2020
How can we atone

‐----------
poem, poetry, America, Declaration of Independence, prejudice, injustice,slavery, sin, colonization, genocide, eugenics, sterilization, institutionalization, racism, sexism, misogyny, Confederacy, Black Lives Matter, unalienable rights, life, liberty, pursuit of happiness, franchise, right to vote, ignorance, cruelty, oppression, Hamilton, Jefferson, Washington, Lincoln, Obama, Trump, Biden, Lewis, King Jr, compromise, complicity, corruption, hate, anger, God,

All of my poems, photographs, and videos are copyrighted by Raymond A. Foss, 1999, 2000, 2001, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019 and 2020. All rights are reserved. Contact me at Ray Foss (raymondafoss@gmail.com) for usage. See all 52,540+ of my poems at www.raymondafoss.blogspot.com Poetry Where You Live.

How can we atone

How can we atone
for our past, our failures
injustice perpetuated
for countless generations;
a curse, a disease
upon our people, this nation
from our beginnings
a divide, our original sin.

How can we atone
now, in this moment
needing to change
to repent of our sins;
but divided, separate camps
not seeing a path forward
a way through this valley
that we have created.

How can we atone
how can we come together
so much to do, to change,
wrongs to be righted;
so much of our dreams
the words needing meaning
to achieve our destiny
as people, as a people.

How can we atone
with so many voices
so much pain, injustice,
over so many generations;
needing to start now
in this time, in this moment,
America can be much better
than our history.

---------------
July 14, 2020
How can we atone

How can we #atone
https://t.co/IN5lruAjUZ
#poem #poetry #America #DeclarationofIndependence #prejudice #injustice #slavery #Sin #colonization #genocide #eugenics, #racism #sexism #Misogyny #BlackLivesMatter #unalienableRights #life #HamiltonFilm @DanRather

https://t.co/4YWMnziUv8

‐----------
poem, poetry, America, Declaration of Independence, prejudice, injustice,slavery, sin, colonization, genocide, eugenics, sterilization, institutionalization, racism, sexism, misogyny, Confederacy, Black Lives Matter, unalienable rights, life, liberty, pursuit of happiness, franchise, right to vote, ignorance, cruelty, oppression,


All of my poems, photographs, and videos are copyrighted by Raymond A. Foss, 1999, 2000, 2001, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019 and 2020. All rights are reserved. Contact me at Ray Foss (raymondafoss@gmail.com) for usage. See all 52,540+ of my poems at www.raymondafoss.blogspot.com Poetry Where You Live.