For Arelly Silverio Huerta

To the brave young girl

from Mexico

who read poetry on open mic

for the first time

I applaud your bravery

your humanity

your reading through tears

Thank you for your poem

about family

about fear

about hiding places

about love

I promise you

these crimes against humanity

will end

and we will have

our own Nuremberg trials

The truth will come out

hiding behind legalities will not work

the moral violators had choices

they could have refused

…..they can still refuse

they could have quit their jobs

…..they can still quit their jobs

many have quit their jobs

…..and many more will

Change is coming

maybe not fast enough

for your family

but it is coming

In the meantime

I will help hide you

I will run interference

I will write

I will scream

I will fight

I will go to jail if necessary

Arelly, I refuse

to turn my head

I refuse to look away

I refuse to say it is not my problem

I refuse to become part of the problem

1-29-20