Carol Dorf

Some years ask, "Which side are you on?"

You might answer, "I'm on the side of the bees,
and the waters rising against the coastal shores."
You listen to a debate, and say "I'm ok with reading
dystopias, but don't believe I live in one, 
and don't want to find myself there." 
You say, "I'm on the side of the kindergarten 
children who tumble together on the rug, eager 
for stories after eating school lunches portioned 
onto small trays. I'm on the side of Black Lives
Matter, and the Undocumented. I'm on the side 
of the whales who need quiet to hear each other 
calling across the sea. And I'm on the side 
of the fat women, and the crips, and every 
contractor who wanted to be paid. 
"Which side are you on?" is the refrain. 
The future echoes on the screen. 
            

In the moment, I will investigate

All those stories, about the shock 
of being groped by strangers on the train
or the pick up slamming to a stop 
driver and passenger both overflowing
with comments about a body, your body, 
that time had turned from child
to girl. Now that this has a hash-tag 
you wonder if it means progress.                
            

An earlier version of the "Some Years Ask" was published in "New Verse News."