and the lullaby
left us…

and the stars
that we wished upon
sank with the souls
that had been
set upon

and
humanity is hurting,
is drowning
in tears
and treachery

and
terrorism
becomes the term
that clears us
of all
accountability
civility
responsibility

and
we have lost
the garden
and its graces
and its glory

the paradise
where flowers
unfolded
and creatures
crawled
with carefree
curiosity

but
the seasons
have shifted
and the rivers
have rose
because nature
knew more
than man
could suppose

and
the unity
of humanity
revealed itself
to be
a fallacy

a
frail
fragile
and
fickle
fantasy
now falling,
like tears,
through the rainbow,

the rainbow
we never managed
to get over

and
humanity is hurting,
is drowning
while seeking
asylum

and
the blue birds
are now white doves
rising from the ashes
of our actions
of our inactions
and infractions

leaving us
lost
and lonely
and longing

and
the blue birds
are now black birds
pecking at our passion
and our pride
like some
worldwide
genocide

though
still we hope
still we parade
still we believe
there can be
something
better
brighter
beyond
the bombs
and the
bloodshed

while
humanity is hurting,
is drowning
in places
where once
there were parties

Into this world
we were born
crawling
climbing
carving
combining
creating
competing
controlling
condemning
crucifying

thinking
we were men
of the modern world

trusting
we were brothers
in arms

not armed brothers
thrusting hate
into hearts

but
we bore hate;
breaking bodies
instead of boundaries

but
we forged fear;
slaying people
instead of prejudice.

Can we not support
all that is hopeful?
Can we not understand
all that is different?

We have the right
to hold arms
in the States
they say,
while in France
they’re fighting
on main street
Marseilles

while
over the rainbow
there is the song
of another world
where voices
are raised
in laughter

while
over the rainbow
there is music
in another world
where bodies can dance
at discos undaunted

where
differences
are not deemed
to be deadly

where
belief
is not
a burden
to obliterate

while here,
in this world

we punished
the pagans,
we killed
a christ,
we slaughtered
the jews,
we shot down
the gays,
we blacklisted
the muslims,
we sacrificed
the innocent,
we returned
the refugees

and
we thought
we were men
of the modern world

but
we had no idea
the music
had stopped

and the lullaby
had left us
hurting

W.E: What Evolution?

All Words by Damien B. Donnelly

Audio version available on Soundcloud:

https://soundcloud.com/damien-donnelly-2/humanity-is-hurting