Did you vote?
They asked, 
staring at me blankly
I say I always vote for peace 
They tell me I’m everything 
that’s wrong with society 
I bow out of the conversation silently 
inside my mind is screaming
Practice what you preach!
I pray for nothing but peace
But peace 
is never on the ballot
So the challenge for me
Is deciding who I have to be
and what part of myself 
I can sell 
so I can finally achieve
just a piece of peace.
I must be out my mind
the way that I dismiss
This system of injustice
I crush it & roll it up 
Once it’s already pieced up 
Just to try & appease
the weight of my worries 
Only to find peace
Once the smoke seizes 
my lungs 
and I am numb
by everyday comforts.
We always want more
And they always want war
On drugs on crime on terror
(on people of color)
Let’s disturb their peace
By raising our frequencies
And being vocal 
not about voting
But about promoting 
peace & unity
Individually & as a society.
Don’t let them tear us apart
put us into boxes 
and categories 
Cause divided we fall
victim to the trap of thinking
the only way to change things
Is to cast a vote 
for the best actor 
Acting like they care
About the current state 
of affairs
While they feed us lies 
and distractions 
Like omg can you believe 
what happened
As if the pay & prestige
Has nothing to do with 
them choosing to lead
A country who’s economy 
is crumbling
whose foreign policy
Is to colonize 
divide & conquer
By any means 
a country having
separation anxiety 
from a blood stained identity.
So you may say I’m a dreamer
But I‘m not the only one
I know others who think like me
there’s always a piece of me 
who wants to be set free
to achieve peace & unity
inside of & surrounding me.
I want love & peace
To catch on like a disease 
And infect all of humanity
Till we all break down
Barriers, borders, walls & become
The highest version 
of ourselves 
Without becoming 
our own downfall
Without having to smoke trees
just to have energy to function
and destroy families
in the name of consumption
Without sacrificing our sanity
Without feeding 
into their dysfunction.
I vote for peace
But peace wasn’t meant for 
people like me
Who fight for freedom.


artnovaa