This is Not That Dawn

In the fall of change we got high on hope
Started to believe they weren’t just giving us some rope
Put him in office like his face would be enough
They were dancing on the roof of the downtown bus

Man I’m through with hoping, I’m done with thoughts and prayers
Waiting on things that I wish were there
You and me, we got to work through the night
And when the sun comes up, no time to give up the fight

Occupy
Gulf war protests

The ballot box and the bloody flag
This is not that dawn
The color guard and the rockets glare
This is not that dawn
Thoughts and prayers and the rockets glare
This is not that dawn
A changing face in the highest place
This is not that dawn

Think I heard the sounds move the the air
Heard those voices everywhere

Diversity
Aesthetics of change without the reality
Representation
Keeping the door open
Who’s your audience and how did they get in

This ain’t the first and it won’t be the last

Believing it would be different this time
The bitterness of falsehood
The arrogance of claiming difference
We know better
This time this time