A Refreshing Revolution

By Starlene Rankin
California Green Party

today i wish i was a back up singer with seal's band
i wish i could just blend into the beauty of music
i think that would be refreshing
and today i feel like i need a refreshment

last monday, november 1st, five days from my birthday
i walked out to my street here in sacramento
to greet the morning

i live in a "working-class" neighborhood
my neighborhood, like zillions of others around the country,
is full of wonderful people
just trying to live their lives the best they can

nobody around here has a lot of money
the stores nearby are barely making it
many of the children don't have good nutrition or healthcare
our schools are struggling for money to buy supplies
and the land, plants, water, air and wildlife,
in this part of our planet that we call home,
we know what's happening...things are not well with mother.

last tuesday, november 2nd, record numbers of people
turned out to their polling places and voted
i'm so proud of all of us

last wednesday, november 3rd, three days from my birthday
i walked outside to get the newspaper
i looked at the headlines
the basic message was
the repubs stole it again
the dems were co-dependent again

yawn
never expected anything else really
what else is new?
what else is real?

i looked up and down my street
where my neighbors are still struggling to pay their bills
where children are still being robbed of their health
where our local economy is still barely surviving
and sits ripe for gentrification
where our precious natural world is still being exploited
in the name of greed and the fucking bottom line.

there it all is
still before the election
still after the election

friday, november 5th, hey, it's my birthday!
i walked outside on the chilly fall morning
i felt blessed that the sun was shining
and that i could stand still for a few moments
absorbing the power of the heat and light
i picked up the paper
but didn't feel like reading the headlines
i didn't feel the need for a distraction
from the truth of the matter at hand
for greens
for all people who love this planet
and us crazy humans who call it home

we all know what's happening
and why it's happening
we all know who's to blame
and how to fix it

we know we need a revolution

how about a peaceful revolution that starts in each neighborhood?

wouldn't that be refreshing?

imagine real democracy and real community

a refreshing revolution! ah, yes! just what i need to go with my music!

imagine it
make it real
make it happen

we can do anything with enough people demanding change!