Instructions for Outrage

A poem in the aftermath of Alexander Pretti's killing by ICE, and the 32 individuals before him

Hello friends, my desire to speak the truth comes naturally, but the the fear of being truly seen is stronger. Does this make sense? Is it OK to feel this deeply? Can you hold my anger and still want to see a movie with me next week, call me friend? I’ve hidden from rage my whole life, letting it eat away at my insides rather than letting it boil and roar aloud, that molten core threatening to ignite the world or burn me to ashes. Poetry is my controlled burn.

But I recently learned that ash is alkaline and can be used to raise the pH of acidic soils, making them more hospitable for a variety of plants, helping them grow.

Perhaps these ashes can be good for something after all. Let it burn. Let it all burn.

Instructions for Outrage

His parents will have to avoid the television, the radio, 
newspapers if they can even find them — 
stay off social media and the frame-by-frame 
analysis like a cudgel’s pounding beat 
building outrage to drive up clicks. 

They’ll be asked to cry on demand, 
be angry but not too angry. Maybe he speaks 
with a curled fist, tears barely 
held at bay, she stands behind 
him staring ahead. 

Or perhaps we ask her 
to look straight at the camera in a post-traumatic 
haze, demanding justice as he sobs 
behind her, red-faced 
with tissue at his mouth. 

The memes will be designed, the list 
of those who also fell 
at the hands of the gestapo assembled. 
The anger for the anger: 
he was BLANK and they were BLANK, 

who is more deserving of our allotted sliver 
of outrage this week? Because it’s back-to-work time 
and everyone has to pay their bills. And did you hear 
what happened in Maine? 
Portland, New Orleans, Chicago? 

They fade as we wait 
for the next headline to interrupt —

and wonder where this will all end.

From a friend in Minnesota — how you can help: Rent relief funds remain urgent. People can’t work while hiding in their homes, which means they can’t pay rent — and rent comes due every single month. We don’t know how long this occupation will last. This requires sustained support, not just initial outrage.

Stand with Minnesota has a “Rent Relief Funds” section that expands when clicked:

https://www.standwithminnesota.com/