LIMITS LIVE HERE TOO

Poets note: In our polarized world of either being for justice or against justice, we must realize that when it comes to immigration and our policies there is a third way. The third way is to understand in every country, especially one hard wired for high consumption, is limited. It is limited in open space, limited in room for more cars, limited in water resources, limited in jobs and representation in our halls of congress. The pandemic has shown us that trying to get everyone a vaccine or hospital bed is exacerbated by our now 331,000,000. The earth and each country within it operates in a closed system. Policies creating more growth fly in the face of that reality. I hope this poem opens some eyes to an issue which is NOT at its core about anything other exceeding ecological limits.

Limits Live Here Too

 by Karen I. Shragg

Do them a favor

Turn them away

with an abundance of grace and dignity

for the pain they will endure

Don't let them in

Out of love for their future

Out of fear for our own

If our wildlife had a vote 

they would concur.

We are overflowing

Overpowered 

Overdone

Well-baked

Our patriotic goose is cooked 

in the oven with the temperature set on climate chaos

a bit more afloat than others, perhaps

But sinking none the less

and more will never allow 

any to fully achieve 

the kind of life we all seek.

We can no longer be the release valve

for the suffering peoples of the world

or for those who just seek a bit better life

It's all and only about limits 

Set by nature, disobeyed by man.

Know we must never use numbers as an excuse for racist intentions

while reaching for the chalk

to draw our responsible line in the sand.