Where to find humans after they become an endangered species

The first night of the riots
a hooker gave me a safety clip
and told me to be safe.
I was not rioting
but knocking on doors
in her rundown neighborhood,
collecting signatures for a petition
to declare monarch butterflies
an endangered species.

I'm not sure if she was actually a hooker
because I'm not sure whether or not
red porchlights mean prostitution anymore,
but I am also not sure
how much of her face
was a human face
underneath all of the paint.
She offered to sign my petition
before I could even tell her why
butterflies are dying.
I think she acutely understood
it's the same reason everything is dying.

I'm glad she didn't have to witness
the man with the white mustache
I'd visited the previous day,
standing at the door of his tasteful acreage,
who had listened politely,
said no thank you,
closed the door,
and locked it quietly.

I pinned the safety clip to my jacket.

Author's Note

Working on making this a little less on the nose and cliche

Reviews

[Robert Parlange]

I like the immediacy of the poem. Odd how people from different social strata react to problems, considering we all live on the same planet. Good luck with the monarchs. The dominoes are falling whether we notice it or not. Just ask the polar bears. I hope we connect the safety pins like a chain and stretch them across America from coast to coast. Sort of like a wall. Hmm.

[M. Shepherd]

Ugh, yes it is the dominoes. We're next!
Thanks for stopping by, Robert. :)

[jacob erin-cilberto]

and that man with the white moustache...his life is fine, away from others, insulated with his wealth maybe...but he doesn't want to get involved...when others are suffering, becoming extinct, why are we turning away...

the human element of us is deteriorating so rapidly in this country...why are we turning away?

we didn't back in the sixties...protests are good, riots are just chaotic senselessness that accomplishes nothing but inciting more fear...

all so sad...

this is such a smart poem...

j.

[M. Shepherd]

I feel the same way about the riots - unfortunately our peaceful protests have been getting violent due to a few anarchists that are ruining the message for everyone. And yes, humanity is being overtaken by fear and apathy, it's becoming so tough to find but it can still be found in very unexpected places..

[M. Shepherd]

Thanks for the words Jacob :)

[. serah .]

~ isn't it amazing how certain events trigger a thought process which makes us less judgmental as human beings? ~ suddenly, we realize how profound the ability to be non-judgmental is... and how it helps us to respect everyone... and not look down upon minorities... ~ we have to ache some more for diversity and equality for them to be a political and social reality... (everywhere in the world)...

[M. Shepherd]

Absolutely. It's easy to be judgmental from afar..
Love you Serah - thank you as always for stopping by :)

[. serah .]

~ you're very welcome, marcie... and ditto... :)