Today he was shot. 1
He went to help.
Today he was shot. 2
Others stood close and could do nothing.
Today he was shot. 3
Our country is being torn apart from within.
Today he was shot. 4
The Emperor reels in his mind from a stroke, from dementia, or excess of ego.
Today he was shot. 5
We have to see, we have to feel, we have to churn in our gut.
Today he was shot. 6
How does this not seem like a lurching toward the end of any pretense of democracy, of truthful living, of fairness, of compassion, of love, of decency, of respect, of life itself?
Today he was shot. 7
What do we say to those who fought on foreign soil to end fascism, stop communism, eradicate national bullying, quell racism, stop nuclear threats, advance justice, save personal dignity, do their duty for humanity and our survival?
Today he was shot. 8
When the shouting is done and the tears are dry and the hearts beat again and the mother finds her speech and the friends can sleep and the family has buried him and we have forgotten him and the bullets have been tossed and the reports have been written and lost and the world has grown bored of another senseless death and we ask why...why?!
Today he was shot. 9
Each of us is responsible for something. Each of us has our hands in the game of life. Each of us plays a different hand against the House. The House usually wins but we play, and play, and play. He played. The House played. Today the House won. Today there was no winning hand for him. Today we also played through him. Today we all lost. Today we ALL LOST.
Today he was shot. 10
Today is gone. He is gone. We are here. The House is here. Tomorrow the House will play the game again. They will play their hand. And they will hope to win. The House usually wins. Will the House win tomorrow? Will we play the game tomorrow? Will the game change? Will the House change? Will we change? The House does not show willingness to change. They have the anointing of the Emperor. They are the House. They win. They do no wrong. But they have lost their way. They have crossed the line and now stand outside of their own rules. They dare the Players to play the game. If the Players play, then the House can win however they may. No rules, no restrictions, no problems. We will see how this game plays out. Players gotta play. And the House gotta be the House.
Neither. Can. Help. It.
