Poem: Against The Current

You say women and children first

But you don’t give a damn

About us the minute we are out

Treading water,

Gasping for air.

You make us wade 

Through the waves

While you ignore

The graves you create

With your thoughtless policies

And your foul ideologies.

You deflate our vests

And ignore our protests; 

You leave us with nothing

But an oar

To roe our boat 

Through an ugly storm,

And we wonder if we’ll

Wash ashore. 

You say women and children first

But you treat us 

Like second class citizens.

You leave us 

In the storm you stirred up;

You leave us

As the water fills our lungs

And the tide engulfs our

Power and pride,

All while you stand tall 

As self-named heroes;

All while you bask in your glory

With no care for the mother,

Nor the child you say you fight for.

And so while you watch

From your high seat on deck,  

Those limp bodies and faint voices below

Are fighting relentlessly

Against the current.