Wednesday, May 21, 2014

Human Rights

Eighty US troops
have been sent
to neighboring Chad

in a growing international effort
to rescue the girls

kidnapped by the Nigerian
extremist group Boko Haram.

With great power
comes the great responsibility

to recognize if
and if so when and how
power should be used

so that might can make
or at least contribute
to right.

Sometimes you should stand back
sometimes you should meddle

but sadly
even morally-necessary meddling
holds risk

and the only thing to do
is prepare for it
and head into the storm.

This poem © 2014 Emily Cooper.