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This poem by Wrenwatcher at Deviantart.com is based on Walt Whitman's poem of the same name:

I Sit and Look Out

I sit and look out upon all the sorrows of the world, and
    upon all injustice and pain,
I hear the soft, whispering voices of two young women in despair
    because the country they call home won't acknowledge their love,
I see the old man sprawled in an alley, once a hero in a sea of gunfire,
    ignored, cold, homeless,
I see the dissociated little girl lie motionless on her bed, I see
    her father leave the room,
I mark the fierce battles that rage behind closed doors,
    the bruised and angry teenage boy slipping quietly out his window, I see these things,
I see the crooked election, dishonest politician, unfounded war, I see
    another massacre ignored by the media,
I observe a country lied to as its children die, I observe men and women fallen
    and forgotten in sweltering desert heat,
I observe the judgements passed guiltlessly, shamelessly, daily
    upon Muslims, homosexuals, blacks—each one American;
All these—all the unending poverty and hopelessness, I
    sitting look out upon,
See, hear, and am silent.

Haunting, wouldn't you say?

Their class assignment had been to look at famous poems and to modernize them. So that's what Wrenwatcher did. As a teacher, I'm impressed that such a routine assignment would bring about such a well thought out poem. But as a mom, I'm pleased that Wrenwatcher is proud of herself for writing such powerful words.

Wrenwatcher's poem makes me think of Christian who came to our blog the other day and asked what he could do to bring peace and I wonder if his silence ended the day he came forth and asked questions.

Words are powerful but silence can be betrayal.

So as we begin another day on our open thread, what are your thoughts about the sorrows, injustice and pain?

But more importantly what are your ideas to end those sorrows and to fulfill the great promise our country had?

Speak up, you've got the mic!