when the personal is global and the global is personal 

how do i walk by someone who is hurting without tasting my tears

when the global is personal and the personal is global 

how do i read, “cunt”, “go back home and make babies”, or “all you need is a good fuck” and not break for a woman sitting in her power

trying to be bucked from her chair by men and women who were taught to fear true power

her power

power without harm

power without rape

power that gives birth to things

power that isn’t subtractive

how do I not break for myself

when the personal is the global and the global is personal

how do i fight the desire to hold the parent who calls their son a “pussy”, and tells them to, “man up”, when this child feels something

when his child feels anything

when the global is personal and the personal is global

how do i turn my back on the parent that tells their daughters to accept dehumanization as a means of protection

when the personal is global and the global is personal 

where do I divert my eyes after seeing my country’s future through Russia’s gaze

when the personal is global and the global is personal 

how do I not choke on my innocence and think of the magic in my parents eyes as I throw up; 21 dead in Texas 

when the global is personal and the personal is global 

how do i not ache from fear made palpable by families who have not lost their children at the hands of a scholarly gun but watch the screen with pleading eyes for their day to never come 

when the personal is global and the global is personal

how do I not skip a beat; 10 dead in Buffalo

50 rounds shot while buying tonight’s dinner

When the global is personal and the personal is global 

i recognize the heartbeat of headlines in my body

when the personal is global and the global is personal 

the headlines we read were incubated in the commercials, policies, pocketbooks, culture, families, and company of our past and present

the global is personal and the personal is global is as to 

fear is to hate as hate is to fear 

when the personal is global and the global is personal 

what is out there exists in all of us

it’s just a different shade of shit depending on your politics