words kept close and spoken in the dark [POETRY - Completed]

faces I know - ORIGINAL PIECE

the trees are red and smoke fills my lungs, the sky is a dusty orange and it burns my insides. turn and see the crowds they gather, masked and hidden from their oppressor. shoulder to shoulder they move as one, monuments to suffering torn from their pedestals. another step this way, a simpler picture, painted of determination in laughter and smiling faces come rain or shine. a woman who I wished to emulate in all the best ways. another of shared experiences and understanding. a third sculpting her world view only an artist can. a man who I see in poetry and song. another who breathes new life into the mundane and trival which make up our world. two brothers who I admire in their resilience. a woman who embodies strength in everything she does. a man of great intellect and resourcefulness. another older, insightful in what he has seen. a woman who fought for me even before I took my first breath. many more I remember in passing, they stick all the same. this is our battle, our fight as one and we fight it every day.