So Sad, So Angry

Bahamian women and children are fighting for their lives in a terrible ongoing war that mainstream culture calls domestic violence. Tonight the wakeful and mindful among us are grieving for the baby who has died, the victim of a crime so heinous, so unthinkable, we can hardly comprehend it. What kind of monster is this, apparently capable of raping and killing a baby? This is the worst kind of violent criminal there is, one who must be removed from society forever.

Where is the public outrage? Where are all the Good Christians, so quick to form lynch mobs for the queer cruise ships, where are the newspaper pastors and preachers now? Where are the editors' voices expressing our outrage, our collective grief and mourning, our demands for justice, and for a Bahamian goverment that at last takes real and serious steps toward stopping violence against women and children? Where are we, the grassroots movement of ordinary people organizing, speaking out for an end to this war, lining up at the police station turning in the known perpetrators who live with impunity among us?

The sub-human responsible for this baby's death must be brought to justice. The mother who failed to protect her should also be held responsible. And let us demand that the judge refuse bail, too many of these vile criminals are given bail by judges who don't understand or don't care that violence against women and children is the most grievous problem facing our country today.

I am so sad, so angry at our collective failure to protect this child and all the others in peril. The children of the Bahamas are crying out for our help, what will we do?

Midnight approaches on her dark horse.
I cannot sleep.
I want to write a poem
That actually changes the world
But all I can come up with
Is this one
That I made
Out of sadness
For the baby that died.

I want justice
And honestly,
At this dark moment,
Not necessarily
The restorative kind.
I say, burn him
At the stake!
And weep over these words
For the baby that died.