Psalm 17
a difficult song about mourning
Lord, how do we mourn
in a free land? How do
we allow atrocity and
still have the freedom
to choose? We do not
cry in empty space: but
our crying would be worse
in a revenge-wrought iron
land, where security
would be the only aim
and no one would have
open air to breathe
or drop tears for the
dead and for the living.
We must choose to
choose. Not to allow
evil or to destroy
democracy. Mourning
and breathing while we
arm, yes, and await
evil’s annihilate implosion.
For now we choose, in
a free place, to bear
the weight of death—in
nations wounded and in
the raw-split parts
of the human heart.
clcouch123 
November 30, 2015 at 8:14 pm
Great Psalm. I think having democracy means having the right to choose. You put it well “we must choose to choose not to allow evil or destroy democracy.” Those are powerful words and having a choice always comes with great responsibility.
December 1, 2015 at 3:36 am
Thanks for your response. I wrestled with this, as relatively brief as it is. I guess I was trying to get across the true sadness in mourning, especially when the loss comes from an evil source. Yet revenge is not a good option anymore than giving up our freedoms would be. I’m grateful for your affirming that choice comes with responsibility. It does, even in tragic times.