We Have Failed the Children

We have failed the children
We have failed to protect them
We have failed to keep them safe
We have failed and who is to blame?

We have failed and who is to blame
But ourselves, the children are dead
We have strayed, put our interests ahead
Where is our promise to keep them safe?

This is not about politics or ideology
We have failed - where is our humanity?
We have failed, the children are dead
No MORE excuses! We ALL have failed

We make promises and we deceive
We shed crocodile tears and we cheat
We wave the flag of peace and hope
While waging war abroad and at home

And once in a while, there is outrage
And every time more tears are shed
But soon enough, we will forget
Until we fail the children again

What the fuck is so hard about committing
Above all else to the welfare of the children?
And if we can't protect the most vulnerable
And innocent among us, aren't we doomed?

As we grieve today, can we find it in our heart
To weep for ALL the dead children everywhere?
Can our outrage be outrageous enough
To put a stop to this absurd carnage?

Should we continue to feed our greed?
To what end?  And at what price?
What good is freedom, the mother weeps
What good is freedom to my dead child?

December 16, 2012