Have you told them, yet –
your boy or your girl
that we’re born to death
Your nephew or niece
We are slaughtering apes
who will never know peace
Your granddaughter grandson
that they’re dying by seconds
and that fairytale “Son”
Isn’t coming
Have you told them, why –
that schoolchildren’s books
necessarily lie
That learning’s not meaning
black holes sucking spewing
‘life is but’ dreaming
Have you comforted them
when you know no comfort
and the god you invent
Isn’t coming
And ‘born to run’
that whirligig song
of romance and fun
Is a lie.
About Eugene Jones Baldwin
I am a writer: non-fiction, fiction, journalism (Alton Telegraph), essays (The Genehouse Chronicles) and have a website: eugenebaldwin.com. I've published a couple dozen short stories and had eleven plays produced. Current projects: "Brother of the Stones" (available on Kindle), a book of short stories; "The Faithful Husband of the Rain, short stories"; "A Black Soldier's Letters Home, WWII,;" "There is No Color in Justice," a commentary on racism; "Ratkillers," a new play.
I am an avocational archaeologist and I take parts of my collection of several thousand Indian artifacts (personal finds) to schools, nature centers, libraries etc. and talk about the 20,000 year history of The First people in Illinois. (See link to website)
I'm also a playwright (eleven plays produced), musician, historian (authority on the Underground Railroad in Illinois, the Tuskegee Airmen) and teacher.
