The Jabberwock

you ask me if war is inevitable 

like california doesn’t catch on fire every summer

like the city i grew up it won’t be underwater in 10 years 

like companies don’t pump out pollution

while disabled people are blamed for using plastic straws

you ask me if war is inevitable 

like karl marx didn’t call for my uprising

like we don’t watch people die 

while jeff bezos builds a rocket

like we don’t cry eat the rich

because we can’t afford real food

you ask me if war is inevitable 

like i wasn’t 10 years old doing routine shooter drills

like the sandy hook kids weren’t only 6

like i wasn’t lucky to have the extra 4 years

you ask me if war is inevitable 

like we’re not told to yell fire because it doesn’t matter if “he’s trying to hurt me” 

like the guy saying “hey pretty mama” couldn’t tell i was 15

like i didn’t get a rape alarm before i got my first kiss

you ask me if war is inevitable 

like nat turner didn’t kill for his freedom

like the whip didn’t become a gun 

like chains and shackles didn’t become a jail cell

like the slave owners didn’t become prison guards and law makers

like 3/5 isn’t now 13th

like aunt gwen didn’t die from covid

like you can google my grandpa and find more than mugshots and drug records

you ask me if war is inevitable

and maybe it’s not

but dying is