It’s one of those gray, gray, gray days
Folks down at Walmart move listless,
the workers and the shoppers
There is a cold mist in the air
You can’t even see the mountains
I examine my face in the mirror
I look unshaven even though I’ve shaved
Life can be tough on many levels, but grassroots
people can be tough too
They may be wearing baggy sweatpants
but they are survivors, and they never give up
They take things one day at a time
reach out to a friend or loved one
share their confusion or dread
They come to realize they are not alone
“Momma said there’d be days like this”
They come to realize that every day is different
There is dark and light, hope and despair
They know in their heart that
when someone is trapped in despair
it’s time to reach out,
whether that one is a friend or stranger
We are all friends, but also all
“strangers in a strange land”
But grassroots people never give up
on America or the good people
of the world
The world, the world is in travail
We must all strive to heal the wounds
promote mutual understanding
Grassroots people, the good among them
know very well that violence solves nothing
Redemption lies in reaching out
to the stranger and making him
or her a friend