No More Prayers

The news comes in every day

The names and places change

But it’s always the same

Sure, some days are more brutal than others

But it’s still our sisters

Still our brothers

It’s in Africa, Asia, Europe, and here too

It’s villages and towns

Paris and Beirut

Beheadings and bombs

Machetes and guns

It’s hatred. That’s all.

Don’t let them bait us

To take the fall.

We can’t let the zealots win

I don’t care what their idea

Of sin might be

They don’t get to tell us

They don’t get to tell me

How we live our lives

And that’s what they want

But it’s not what they’re going to get

Their goal is to pit us

Against each other

To spread their hatred

By making us scared.

The way to fight back

Is love, not prayers.

Don’t pray for Paris

Don’t pray for peace

If prayers are all you’ve got

They’re fine in addition to

But not by themselves

We have to act, and act now

Not just words, but deeds

These are the things this fucked up world needs

We need to take in the refugees

Shelter and clothe them

Protect the innocent

Women and children

But most importantly

We need to stand shoulder to shoulder

Regardless of isms,

Like sisters and brothers

Because everyone is squishy on the inside

Everyone cut, bleeds

If we show love and compassion

Regardless of creed

If we hold tightly to each other

If everyone believes

Terrorists can’t win

If we’re not afraid

No more prayers for Paris

Feed someone starving instead

No more prayers for Beirut

Give a wandering child a bed

I know your prayers are well intentioned

And you think there’s nothing else

You can do for those so far away

That all you can do is pray

But it’s not just about Paris

The hatred is everywhere

It’s not just about religion

But about people being less than

If we could see all people as people

And combat hatred with love

Then no one would need to pray

To their God above.