Fine People
By Paul Colton
Based on Martin Niemöller’s confession-turned-poem, “First they came …”
First a fine man killed six Sikhs in a Wisconsin temple
but Republicans did not act
because they’re not Sikhs
Then a fine man murdered black worshippers in Charleston
but Republicans did not act
because they’re not black
Then a fine man ran down counter-protestors in Charlottesville
but Republicans did not act
because they’re not lefties
Then a fine man slaughtered 11 Jews praying in Pittsburgh
but Republicans did not act
because they’re not Jews
Then a fine man assassinated Hispanics in an El Paso Walmart
but Republicans will not act decisively
because they’re not Hispanic
Soon fine people will come for pale-skinned moderates
but then it will be too late to stifle
their seething hate and assault rifles
Paul Colton has been writing about life’s vagaries for thirty-plus years. His poetry and essays have appeared in more than 75 magazines, literary journals, and poetry anthologies, including The Literary Hatchet, The Satirist, and The Moon magazine.
Photo credit: Christopher Althouse Cohen via a Creative Commons license.