Peace to our Innocents, oh gentle
peace to these sacrificial lambs we offer
once again to the monied and mighty,
who send in return their thoughts and prayers
and speak of prices that must be paid, their hands
held out for more and more. The cost of freedom,
they say.
Light has fled the garden,
like the laughter of shining children
running to their next wide day.
Flowers should not meet their winter in spring.
The sin is ours; we consent again and always
to these savage partings, surrendering our tender buds
to the hollow gods we bow before, another payment to endure
before we settle and sigh once more, indolent and monstrous,
draped in the silence of our darker world, waiting,
hoping for better days.
Peace to the people of Uvalde, TX. We must change. We must do better.
© Copyright of all visual and written materials on The Daily Round belongs solely to Catherine M. O’Meara, 2011-Present. Unauthorized use is strictly prohibited, without the author’s written approval. No one is authorized to use Catherine O’Meara’s copyrighted material for material gain without the author’s engagement and written permission. All other visual, written, and linked materials are credited to their authors. Thank you, and gentle peace.
THE DAILY ROUND 
Utterly beautiful and tragic. I had been crying for Ukraine for weeks until I could no longer watch the news. Now I can’t even think about what has happened in Texas. Our forefathers never meant this was anyone’s “right.” Never.
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I agree with you, Terry, absolutely. We must rise up and reclaim our rights to a gun-controlled country, to majority rule, to a celebration of our diversity, and to a government uninfluenced by dark money and the political corruption that are breaking us. Our voices, votes, and energy have to disrupt the complacency and fear that have kept us too quiet for too long. Enough. No more.
I believe that with compassion, courage, and strength, we can rise up, move forward, and make these changes. It’s that, or die of the heartbreak our inaction is allowing, and I’m too riled up to die just yet.
Holding you in my heart. XO
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Thoughts and prayers are not enough. This is so wrong in so many ways. We need gun legislation and politicians who have brains. I’m sorry for the emotion in my words. This is a subject very close to my heart.
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No need to ever apologize here for responding emotionally to a deeply emotional issue. I agree. People have cheapened and bled all meaning out of the expression, “thoughts and prayers,” as has happened with, “I’m sorry for your loss.” We have to be more authentic with our words and more active and united in our calls for gun safety. We can donate to candidates who support our political beliefs and vote, vote, vote. We can speak our sadness and anger. Non-violently protest. Stay with issues till they’re reformed…There are many ways to translate thoughts and prayers into actions that lead to change.
Be safe and well, and thank you for sharing.
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Very beautiful
Touching
Sadness of our times
Hope for our future.
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Thank you for your kindness, Maura. Hope, like love, is a call to action, isn’t it? We need to unite and respond with peaceful changes that prevent such violence.
Be well and safe, and gentle peace.
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Oh goodness, how heartbreaking and touching. It’s utterly horrendous seeing so many lose their lives yet again. It’s very hard to bear. Love and hugs.xxxx
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Yes. Very hard to bear, and impossible to accept without change.
Thank you for your endless kindness. XO
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So beautiful, Kitty. I don’t know that I can even bear to think on this any longer when the people “we” elect to protect us all, are just failing us all repeatedly.
It could not have been said better. Thank you.
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It is a larger tragedy than we can bear at times, I agree. My hope is that we can each find small ways to shift the vision and make different choices, enough so that thinking—and behavior—will change. XO
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