yellow grain waving no surrender
in the onslaught of another storm
we will bend again, again & again
but never level to the ground
why should we rest in pieces
we demand to live in peace
we are not asking
the bear must turn & leave
we are not afraid
you try to raze us down
still we dare to stand
it’s you who are afraid now
by TONY SINGLE
© All rights reserved 2025
a husk sat in dusk
looked for traces of itself
a husk raised its voice
wailed to return to the soul
of you me they she & we
but the ground was wax
& the sky so deaf & bronze
war had melted them
by TONY SINGLE
© All rights reserved 2025
i should be alive
but i’m always waiting in the wings
what’s my line, what should i be
is there a place onstage for me
brown people are dying
i’m so fucking impotent
somebody help them
somebody better than me
i should be alive
not a white invader
not a white saviour
with thoughts such as these
people are dying
while i’m enmired in
the ‘how is this me’
& the luxury of guilt
i should be alive
improvise my own intention
reach into myself
reach out to others
we all grow old, don’t we
& wish we had more time
unless we’re brown
& then living is a crime
by TONY SINGLE
© All rights reserved 2025
unbolt me 