LYRIC FOR SALE

By JM Flow

A healed femur in an adult
A story attributed to Margaret Mead asks:
What was the first indication of civilization?
A healed femur in an adult

Not the use of tools
Not the control of fire
Not agriculture
A healed femur in an adult

In the wild, a broken femur meant certain death
A healed femur in an adult meant
That someone cared for a person in need
Someone sheltered and fed that adult

That is what human beings do
That is how one life becomes our own
Together, human beings survived the Ice Age
Because no one survives alone

If civilization began when one life was protected,
Who should protect every life today?
What does denying healthcare to all represent?
What does leaving people homeless and without services represent?
What does neglecting a drug crisis for profit represent?
What does expelling undocumented Latinos represent?
Is this what civilization means today?