Heroes and Freedom
Yesterday was town meeting in Monkton,Vermont
And the other towns across the state.
We managed to vote absentee,
Fred took the ballots to the often closed town office.
Yesterday,
I thought about going,
Then couldn't, wouldn't, didn't go.
I ended up at the doctor's office, my home away from home.
The 20 dollar copay worth it.
No matter the circumstances,
I decided
I couldn't go.
Oh yes, the catch 22 of New England town meeting.
Fashioned after Quaker town meeting,
Separation church and state?....nah, it's too quaint. Must be preserved.
Using military Roberts Rules
And
we are all peaceable,
Until we are disagreed with.
Aye, nay, pass, fail.
The voters present voice vote millions to be milked from taxpayers,
Like myself,
It still didn't motivate me to face those people,
Those people who vote,
Proudly, loudly.
While I cannot.
No character flaw ,
I was learning,
Insisting to myself,
I am only one.
If the meeting makes me sick,
I learned long ago I am not alone in any emotion.
Someday it Will change,
Not yesterday.
I listened instead to the leader of Israel
And
Heard his message,
A Heroes' message.
The Hero,
Maligned by select crabby politicians
And
Their mouthpieces,
Teaching me
the lesson of keeping calm,
Deliberate,
Not a speck
Of ambivalence,
While delivering basic information
And the plan of action.
My plan of action
Was to first heal my wounds,
Visible
And
Invisible.
The town report sat on the kitchen table.
I didn't even peek at it this year.
Never looked up the corrections posted somewhere.
I am done with town meeting,
The quaint community lunch
The polite conversation,
The dagger eyes
I remembered from a past life.
No more yeah and nay
And you can't
Or we won't
Or
You aren't from around here are you?
My oblivion will cost me
Freedom.
The freedom to vote, one person,
One vote.
The taxed vote.
It will be up to the future residents
Of
Monkton,Vermont,
To find their heroes,
To plot their own course.
For me, resignation fits my mood.
So if 10 percent decides the affairs of the town,
Eventually the 90% will rebel.
I will be heading south.
Meg 3.4.15
