Bridging the Divide: A Poetic Call for Empathy and Cooperation

Poems inspired by my essay "Breaking Free from Party Politics: A Call for Single-Issue Focus in American Politics - Among Other Things"

1.) We're drowning in a sea of red and blue
where empathy is a luxury we can't afford
we're choking on the labels we ingest
left and right, a never-ending, toxic feast

we're so busy choosing sides, that we forget
the human in front of us, the heart that beats
we're so quick to judge, to react, to divide
we forget our shared humanity, our common hide

we need to bridge the gap, to find the space
where love and understanding fill the air we race
we need to listen more, to talk less, to hear
the stories that connect us, the tears we fear

let's break free from the chains that bind
let's find our way back to the heart, the mind
let's choose to see beyond the labels we wear
let's choose to care, to love, to repair

this world we live in, it's a fragile place
we need to handle it with care and with grace
we need to find our way back to the human heart
before we tear ourselves apart

2.) Empathy and self-awareness, we must embrace
Individual policies, not a party's rigid pace
We're quick to brand to judge to react to divide
But in doing so, we forget our shared humanity applied

My upbringing was liberal, but now I question the creed
I saw hypocrisy in religion, a disconnect indeed
I struggled with bias, values, and truth
And realized our political arena needs couth

I saw a veil of deceit and might
Conservatives cloaking their intentions bright
Moral words that hid their true design
Policies that profited the wealthy line

Their constituents trusted them without a thought
Doubting the liberals, their words were caught
In a web of bias, a dangerous spin
Dividing us further, tearing us within

Single-issue politics is where I now stand
Focusing on policies that make sense, hand in hand
With empathy and self-awareness, we can bridge the gap
And create a culture that values cooperation and tact

Let's escape party loyalty, work towards a brighter day
Where human values guide us, and we find a better way
To move forward together and build a future we understand
For all People, a better world, hand in hand.