Poem #1 - in memory of Marti Kheel

I really loved life though I did feel the anguish,
of sentient beings who sadly still languish,
mankind, people say, but I’m not so sure,
for our actions toward animals are too far from pure,
we take all we want with no thought to their needs,
to live and to thrive, free from our evil deeds

the pain all around could have paralyzed me
but instead it ensured that I couldn’t help see,
a voice for the mute was still missing, still needed,
that I could give mine to be heard, to be heeded,
could find answers and cures where it seemed there were none,
though at times I felt sure it would never be done

it's not in my nature to rest or sit tight
so I always felt sure that I had to set right,
a world too replete with venomous factions
with all of our arrogant, merciless actions,
determined to keep up our cruelty, our greed,
never seeing how unjust that the bound are not freed

I now know that I was more tired than I thought,
for if I could have I would have kept on, would have sought
to finish the job, to make people kind,
so sad that in fact so many stay blind
to the ugly mean truth that our species abuses,
that the power we wield means that everyone loses

the point of it all I still do not know,
but when it’s our time, we all have to go,
I did all I could to redirect might,
it’s time for all people to speak and to fight,
I now see no vitriol, I see no more blight
finally for me it’s all out of sight