We've got our heads down, and hackles up...

I recently was introduced to the poet, Kae Tempest. (FYI - being gifted a new poet to listen to is a love language of mine)

Their poem "People's Faces", really resonated with me this AM (it feels this message heard right now in the world). Re-sharing it below with the words that spoke loudest to me.

People's Faces

By Kae Tempest

It's coming to pass My countries coming apart The whole thing's becoming Such a bumbling farce

Was that a pivotal historical moment We just went stumbling past? Here we are Dancing in the rumbling dark So come a little closer Give me something to grasp Give me your beautiful, crumbling heart

Another disaster Catharsis Another half-discarded mirage Another mask slips

I face off with the physical My head's ringing from the love of the stars

There is too much pretence here And too much depends on the fragile wages And extortionate rents here

We're working every dread day that is given us Feeling like the person people meet Really isn't us Like we're going to buckle underneath the trouble Like any minute now The struggle's going to finish us

And then we smile at all our friends

It's hard We got our heads down and our hackles up Our back's against the wall I can feel you aching

None of this was written in stone There is nothing we're forbidden to know And I can feel things changing

Even when I'm weak and I'm breaking I'll stand weeping at the train station 'Cause I can see your faces

There is so much peace to be found in people's faces

I saw it roaring I felt it clawing at my clothes like a grieving friend It said

"There are no new beginnings Until everybody sees that the old ways need to end"

But it's hard to accept that we're all one and the same flesh Given the rampant divisions between oppressor and oppressed But we are though

More empathy Less greed More respect

All I've got to say has already been said

I mean, you heard it from yourself When you were lying in your bed and couldn't sleep Thinking couldn't we be doing this Differently?

I'm listening to every little whisper in the distance singing hymns And I can I can feel things Changing

But it's so hard We got our heads down and our hackles up Our back's against the wall I can feel your heart racing

None of this was written in stone The currents fast but the river moves slow And I can feel things changing

Even when I'm weak and I'm breaking I stand weeping at the train station 'Cause I can see your faces

There is so much peace to be found in people's faces

It's not enough To imagine we'll be happy, when we've got enough stuff

All this stuff is blocking us

I'm neat with no chaser I'm all spirit but I'm sinking

Because the days are not days but strange symptoms

This age is our age But our age is rage sinking to beige And yes our children are brave But their mission is vague

Now I don't have the answers But there are still things to say

I stare out at my city on another difficult day And I scream inwardly When will this change

I'm beginning to fade But my sanity's saved, 'cause I can see your faces My sanity's saved 'Cause I can see your faces

It's hard We got our heads down and our hackles up Our back's against the wall I can feel your heart racing

None of this was written in stone The current's fast but the river moves slow And I can feel things changing

Even when I'm weak and I'm breaking I stand weeping at the train station 'Cause I can see your faces

I love people's faces