Open

Openness, in a time of terror,
It's not easy is it?
News story after sensationalised 
News story,
With just one aim- 
To drag us in,
Scare us witless, 
Send us down,
Stop our daughters from going out,
Just what they wanted, perhaps,
Cancel that trip of fun planned,
Throw blame at misinformation,
I'm talking to everyone, 
Holding their nearest and Dearest,
That little bit closer today,
Myself included.

Police patrol the streets,
Constant, ominous reminders of
Current threat levels.

Imagine- 
If after every terror attack,
Flags went up on every street to hail the heroes,
People were genuinely rewarded for their
Bravery by the state,
Not just in memes.
Imagine if every parent who could, 
Saw an opportunity to point out 
Those countless helpers to their children,
If every school showed their pupils,
Videos of bravery and heroism,
To balance out the violence and depravity
They'll stumble across without looking.
Stories of togetherness, solidarity,

Imagine if, for every victim,
A tree was planted,
To breathe out life for future children,
If the event was used to teach our youth,
About fight versus flight and evolution,
Practical toolkits to overcome anxiety,
In an age and culture,
Strangled by it,
About shocking levels of mental illness,
Vulnerability and predators;
Knowing where to seek help.

It would not be celebration,
But it would be-
Staying open,
Allowing an infinitely bigger 
Amount of human light to keep,
Flooding in,
Shining out,
Belittling and shrouding, one-off,
Unwanted acts of bleakness,
Replaced instead by
Togetherness and Humanity.