To Timothy Snyder
In a few years before you cast your first ballot
for your candidate, whose rival has charmed
his way through the primaries by wrapping
himself in the cocoon of the flag to the applause
of his army of followers who regret the missed
opportunity “to take the country back from them,”
I want you to step away from the noise of the crowd:
doctors who’ve forgotten their oaths, lawyers
advertising their willingness to commit evil
while bystanders gawk at the carnival of cruelty,
and remain silent when the newspapers and television
stations continue to spread the lie which persists—
like hard metals in our landfills–that “the election
was stolen,” I want you to vote as if it were your last chance.
About the Poem
As our country veers towards authoritarianism and many older voters embrace this mindset, I hope that younger voters will resist this threat to our democracy.
About the Author
Geoffrey Philp is the author of five books of poetry, two collections of short stories, three children’s books, and two novels, including Garvey’s Ghost. Geoffrey’s work is featured on The Poetry Rail at The Betsy–an homage to 12 writers that shaped Miami culture. He is currently working on a collection of poems, “Letter from Marcus Garvey,” and a graphic novel, “My Name is Marcus.”