Photography © Edward S. Gault

 

Little Protests

There is something that reminds me that the world is waking again
          slowly, very slowly
just remember that the timeliness of now, and yes, I speak of
          tyrants and dictators
but every time has their villains

speak in whispers in your dissent, in your back rooms and alleys,
          in places where they can’t go
start small, to places in the cracks that fall between,
          where you are hidden from them
because they will certainly try to break a bigger you

they have been trying to make it so that we can’t gather in protest,
          in my now, is that your future?
but, two is a protest, standing at a bus stop is a riot
waiting in line for coffee is a defense
texting is a thing you can do

they think they can put you in a box
smaller and smaller
make it so that you are isolated, and that they are villains big
          and mighty strong
and that you are weak and nothing

but, you find that even mice, have adventures, and you’ll come
          back to yourself
coming back where you stand.

 

Ari Whipple is a poet from Muskegon Michigan currently in their last semesters of their masters degree at Southern New Hampshire University for Screenwriting. They have a BA in Journalism from Central Michigan University. They have several books including Full of Now, Psalm of the Psyche Ward, and Beachfront Property. They are currently working on their latest book, The Dark Water Affair.

Edward S. Gault is a poet and fine arts photographer living in Brighton, Massachusetts. His work has appeared in Oddball Magazine, Spectrum, Wilderness House Literary Review, Interlude, Currents, and Encore. His poetry collection, Airhead and Other Poems was published this year by Read and Green Books.