THE CLIMATE TODAY
by Rafiki Chemari 

 “THE CLIMATE OF TODAY”

Is God raging or crying?
With these…
Massive storms,
And violent quakes.

The ones that make, break,
And unequivocally shake…
Cities, counties, families,
And cultures!

So when (Uncle) Harvey
Came to visit us
In the
Lone Star state of Texas…
He managed to
Put Port Arthur
Very deep underwater
For two to three weeks.

‘Right before (Aunt) Irma
Came in
And flooded
The Florida streets!
And then the border states of…
Georgia and South Carolina.

But it didn’t stop there…
As she rolled-over
The U.S. Virgin Islands (who really weren’t virgins at all).
While she went on
To plunder
Puerto Rico.
Who got stuck in the muck
Of a ruthless financial brawl!

But why is this all
Happening now?
Because…
The (Devil) is in “The White House”
And you know
What that means!

It was revealed in “Revelations-20”.
It was described in “Ephesians 6:11”.
As it began in “The Garden of Eden”…
Where evil had tempted Eve and Adam
(As a dark and fallen angel).

Then he corrupted King David
And later
He tortured
Moses and Jesus.

Can you now begin
To understand…
Just how long
This has been with us?

It’s been much, much, longer…
Than the date of
January 20th!

“INDIGESTION”

Not just a colon
For eating and defecating.
Nor a semicolon
For punctuation and grammatization.
But simply a socio-political indication…
Of the depth
Of a person’s bowels
While not standing
For “The National Anthem”
On concussion-ball Sundays.

Some say,
“It’s wrong and downright disrespectful!”
While others say,
“It’s just too damn political
And so very controversial”.

As the cheerleaders…
(clap, pop, bop, and nod).
While whispering,
“Oh my God…
They are all
Kneeling on one knee
At the edge of the sidelines”

But what are
These players
Who are athletes
Really supposed to do?
While it is customary to stand
With your hand (over your heart)
And pay tribute to ‘The National Anthem’.
There is no official mandate,
Or a punishment at all…
If someone wants to kneel,
Instead of being upright
And tall?

Or takes another
Type of posture
For a civil appeal.
That is part of their right!
As stated in “The U.S. Constitution”.

Ironically, (though)
It’s when a lot of cops…
Keep shooting
Unarmed blacks!
That you definitely have no choice.
Especially at night…
When you go out in public.
Then certain organizations cheer,
“God Bless America”
For the right to carry a gun.
But how many people
Yell, “Oh my god…they have murdered my son!”

And how many others
Have now been frequently pulled-over?
When they are not
Wearing…
Their familiar team jerseys,
And that particular number.

So when does this
(Social) indigestion stop?
Probably Not!
Until an enema…
“Flushes-out”
The very last drop.
Of such a violent era:
That mostly uses
Racial profiling
And stereotyped cases.
.

“THE OTHER SEX”

When I grew up in the 1970’s:
It was only
Male or Female.
Even though there had been…
“The Battle of the Sexes”.

Except for that one
Trans-woman
Who was allowed
To play women’s tennis.

Then my mother
Had told me
About one more?
A young man in the 1950’s…
Who had gone to France
As such an obvious
Looking male sailor.

And then he came back
To America
As a very beautiful,
And a very feminine
Female transsexual.
Who had turned
All at once
Into
An overnight celebrity!

Then fast-forward 65 years!
In 2017:
There are now nearly
300,000 people
Who have been diagnosed with..
“Gender dysphoria”.

And who are trying to
Transition…
(Without) any sort of discrimination.
Or any sexual violence
(Despite 10%)
Of the above
Being children
(Who are questioning their gender)
In absolute silence?
Until one day they say,
“Daddy…I don’t like my penis!”
And “Mommie…I hate wearing dresses
Cuz I (really don’t want) any breasts
At all!”
So the transgender sex:
Needs much of our support
So that they don’t resort
To suicide!
Because after all…
This is a medical fact.

Then they need total equality:
In serving our country (within the military).
Then in attending certain elementary…
Middle and academic high schools.
Which should also provide
Any necessary
Public bathroom facilities.

“TENT CITY U.S.A”

Homeless today and homeless tomorrow.
The city streets are jam-packed:
With widespread sorrow!
So much…
Dirt,
Debris,
Urine and feces.
Not from dogs,
But from people,
Who are poor, sick and feeble.
They are desperate for help!
As they cry out daily
Without any hope of…
Improving their miserable lives.
As they suffer through the improbability:
Of not obtaining a job?
Or not panhandling enough money…
To pay for a comfy room?
Or enough to buy something…
That is healthy and nourishing to eat?

Or to get some medical care…
For those gangrenous sores
On their hands, legs, and feet?
Or to have a hot, clean, soapy, shower!
In conjunction with:
Some brand, new, clean, clothes?
And some brand, new, well-fitting shoes?

But instead we have got:
“Tent-cities”.
Which are like pop-up,
(Campsites)
For the homeless communities.
That are now located…

In every major urban city!
They are…
Under the freeways,
Near the sewer systems,
In the public parks,
And on the coastal beaches.
But they are primarily along the forgotten streets!
And these are not like…
Those established “trailer parks”
That usually have a designated area.
For those specific types of vehicles…
That are sometimes less affordable.

Unfortunately,
This is a brand, new, cluster:
Of working-class folks!
That did not survive
The “mortgage-crisis” yoke,
Or that fateful date of (2008).
These are the ones that lost their homes!
And everything else…
Despite the attempted bailouts,
And the reduced interest rates.
These are the families…
That have been living out here (on the city streets).
In filth, poverty, and garbage
For more than 10 years…
Which is an abominable feat!
Along with the many, many, other
Military veterans.
Who just can’t get a job
Due to their PTSD disorder?
And they are wandering aimlessly…
Just like “shopping-cart” hoarders.

“GUNS! GUNS! GUNS!”

Well, it’s the 19th anniversary of:
The ‘trench-coat mafia’.
And I had dearly hoped…
That we would never, ever,
Have to celebrate
This tragic event (once again)
And go bowling!
When I say bowling…
I mean a mass-shooting!!!
And a mass killing of:
The innocent people…
And the countless lives
That are taken down daily
By semi-automatic weapons!

There have been nine…
Since Columbine in the year of (1999).
Then in (2007)
We had Virginia-Tech;
And in (2009)
There was…
Fort Hood and BingHamton;
Then in (2012)
It was…
Sandy Hook Elementary School!
And after that in (2015)
It was…
San Berna_dino;
Followed by…
‘The Orlando’
(Nightclub) shooting in 2016!
But it still continued…
Into the year of (2017):
With ‘The Texas First Baptist Church’ (killings).

And then the Las Vegas…
‘Mass-shooting’ of 59 people
On the Mandalay Bay Strip!
But now it is 2018:
And we have already
Started the year…
With another horrible
High school massacre
In Parkland, Florida!
Has Americas’ passion for guns…
Overshadowed
These shocking statistics?
Or the startling correlation between…
Mental illness= Gun violence= Gun Ownership.

Who will be the next sacrificial lamb?
Well, apparently not these students.
As thousands of them…
Marched!
And posted their thoughts
On social media today.
Which is exactly
(Just one month later).
And it was all across the country…
As they were all united
In complete solidarity.
With their poster-signs held high:
That said, “I DON’T WANT TO DIE!”
Then others chanted,“GUN CONTROL NOW!”
And this was how…
They all took to the streets,
(‘Right) before their 18th birthdays!

About the Author:

Rafiki C.

Ms. Rafiki Chemari is a native San Francisco resident. She is a local member of THE SCREEN ACTORS GUILD and ASCAP Music Publishing and she currently has a music track on hold for placement in a feature film with ONE NITE STAND MUSIC. In February 2018 she was an Adelaide Voices Best Essay Award Finalist for “Women in Prison” and it was included in the special issue of the: ADELAIDE VOICES ANTHOLOGY 2018 VOLUME TWO.