I am broken by the beauty of the world
by pain exploding in the midst of life
and by the sheer goodness of the people
marching and singing.
It seems wrong that I see the blood poured out,
that of Renee Good and Alex Pretti,
as something beautiful when it is yet warm
glaring and shining.
The blood of the innumerable Abels
for all eternity cries out from ground,
yet on the snow it weaves a living tapestry,
shouting and speaking.
I think I cracked the code of Jesus,
who was so badly killed by agents of the state,
and then some people saw his death as good.
It is a really dull frame of mind what happened,
a very illogical way of thinking,
to see beauty in the utmost suffering,
a work of art in death and destruction.
It is so wrong — I think —
and yet that’s what I feel:
that interrupted lives
wrecked projects, joys killed,
hopes maimed in one,
are seeds of life for many.
Renee and Alex: your lives were works of art
which no bullet ever can destroy;
we hear your gentle voice, that sap of yours
is running through our veins.
Photo on left: “Renee Good, approximately 26 seconds before the shooting. From the cellphone video of the ICE agent who made the shots. Wikimedia Commons. Public domain.
Photo on right: “Portrait photo of Alex Pretti” from the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs. Wikimedia Commons. Public domain.
Banner image: Items left at the site of Alex Pretti’s murder by ICE agents in Minneapolis. Photo by Darth Stabro on Wikimedia Commons. Public Domain.
Queries for Contemplation
Have you ever written poetry as a spiritual practice? How helpful do you find it?
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4 thoughts on “A Poem for Renee and Alex”
Yes! Your poem resonates. Thank you.
Thank you. No bullet can destroy the life of a caring person. A mother and wife. A nurse serving the most critical.
Has the administration finally awakened to what has been happening in Minnesota? We can only hope 🙏🏾
Is it possible for The Daily Meditation Team to send this beautiful poem to Renee’s and Alex’s families?
It expresses with simple yet profound words what we are all struggling to make sense of …. and the closing words of the poem will hopefully (it is probably too soon now …but hopefully when the time is right) bring them comfort: “… Rene and Alex … We hear your gentle voice, that sap of yours … running through our veins.” Gentle hugs …
So grateful to be offered this opportunity to Breakthrough the terrifyingly ubiquitous “FOG of WAR” Malady that has blinded our collective co-existence “through time memorial” as the saying goes. I have been blessed to have been one of the first participants in “the cosmic mass” as well as similar Creation Spirituality Events Extraordinaire’. In loving remembrance of Renee and Alex I write these meager expressions of deep soul bonded kindred Spirit.