Occupying the Streets of San Diego with the 99 Percent

Oh, I have had moments in my life,
downs where pizzazz
seemed out of my grasp,
where joy and light
disintegrated into
notions I could only
think of as relics of the past –
and I’ve had some highs
wherein and whereas
I felt as mellow
as a funky
blast of jazz.
Without glorious moments
how long could a life last?
I sure dunno
but
Occupy San Diego,
just a few days ago,
let me know
that when I am no mo’
hope will still be alive
and on the go.
From the time I stepped
out of my daughter’s auto
good vibes
commenced to flow
from my graying head
to the tips of my toes.
I stepped into
an ocean of people.
Old people.
Not so old people.
Young people.
Sub-young people.
People in dreads.
People with caps worn
backwards on their heads,
and a few T-shirts with an S
on top of a D,
one praising
an ex-Charger
we love to call LT,
a couple graced
with John Lennon’s face,
asking us to IMAGINE
such a scene as we
were in that time and place –
human beings seeking
to create
a world of decency,
representing
a variety
of ethnicities,
standing boldly
in opposition
to society’s
social and economic disparities,
paving a path our children
might trod upon
to make the world even better
someday,
having our say:
“We got sold out!
They got bailed out!”
Those sentiments
told what it was all a – bout.
“Hey! Hey!
Ho! Ho!
Corporate Greed
Has Got To Go!”
For way too long
they’ve been the foe.
“Tell me what
democracy looks like!
This is what
democracy looks like!”
And from the reflections
in the windows of the businesses we passed by
what we were singing
was not a lie.
“The people united
will never be divided!
The people united
will never be divided!”
Music to an old man’s ears,
a massaging of his deepest fears
that we would not ever realize
that it’s only through our being united
that we can insure that
justice and liberty
for all
is provided.
Oh, we moved
with such a groove,
with a little pause
at Chase Bank
and the B & A
for a little showering
of jeers and boos,
hoping it ended up
on the eleven o’clock news,
stepping into the Civic center Plaza
with the chants going ever so strong
and one dude
with the passion
of a Jimi Hendrix
with a guitar in hand
laid down some hot licks
and those of us in his little circle
got our kicks
in the massive mix,
just swaying to the beat
of the music,
stepping right along –
and the bells
and drums
and tambourines
punctuated the sounds
rising from the throng
making it seem like we could do this
all day long.

“We are the 99 percent!”
was the name of our song
and the movement moves on
with some of us living in tents,
occupying the streets
until we are content
with our piece of the pie,
until equality
is not viewed as pie in the sky.
Something for everybody:
Corporations.
Fat cats,
You and me.
Taxes spread fairly
and evenly.
Boy, that would be some moment in a life
if you asked me.