"Two teens killed in spontaneous shoot out."
They were supposed to graduate next week.
"Middle class family found slaughtered in their home."
Tomorrow was the little girl's ballet recital.
Everyone wants to be famous in some way,
are these the headlines you were hoping for?
Rape.
Murder.
Theft.
Torture.
Why do we hurt our fellow man?
We loathe our reflections,
stomachs lurch when forced to gaze into our own
eyes.
Lash out!
Act out!
Be violent and kill.
These are the reflexes instilled within some,
if not most,
possibly all,
of us.
Our demons within rise to the surface when other see too far
beneath .
We're so angry,
but could any of you tell me why?
Excuses, excuses.
Don’t lie to me.
You hypocrite!
The evil is ok when committed on any other but yourself.
Why do we hurt our fellow man?
"Slain sergeant, survived by wife and infant son, found gutted in enemy trench."
He was 25 and he liked to dance with his first and only child,
until the baby boys long lashes rested gently upon chubby cheeks
and he slumbered.
"AIDS is on the rise among African American women ages 19 to 25"
They just don’t know, or just don’t care, and the condoms are free around the corner at the liquor store.
They have their 15 minutes,
but who aspires to such fame?
We hurt because we're hurting.
WE infect,
murder,
betray,
mutilate ourselves.
Oh god give me a reason.
I want to know,
but hope to never understand.
Stop the madness.
Stop the pain.
Teach us to love ourselves again.
Could you do that for us?
Would you please?
"Genocide in Africa"
Don’t kill me brother,
Don’t tell them where I'm hiding sister,
save me.
I don’t want to be the next headliner.