“But What about Hope?” by Taylor Lucio

“But What about Hope?” by Taylor Lucio

Read by Conner Arnold

Sophisticated suburbs solidify success
driven by hope and the power to dream
Concrete correctional facilities corner children
vacuumed by the voracious system we call Inequality.
But what about hope?
Hope is sucked from the souls of wishful thinkers
More eager than the white collared, clean-shaven cookie cutters.
Because hope flies out the pockets of clean linen,
Not from raggedy hand-me-downs from a distant cousin.
But what about hope?
Hard work means high paying salaries up north
But it doesn’t mean that down south
But what about hope?
A desolate classroom once again
Mourning another meaningful life
Struck too early from this world
Dust layers on unopened textbooks
Not enough time for education
For students weep the death of their friend
What do I do?
Standard outcomes don’t teach me about tragedies
My arms become the blanket of hope
Wrapped around my children who have nothing else