"If You Cheered When Ukraine Was Invaded" By Eric Landin

Eric Landin (he/him) is a young, gay poet who came to Poets for Progress to share his voice through poetry. Thank you, Eric, for your submission and for your contribution to the power of political poetry.

If you cheered when Ukraine was invaded,

You’re on the other side

Of history.

You say you’re on the side of freedom,

But when you say the right of the majority

To be tyrannical

Is more important than

The right of the minority

To be free from tyranny,

You’re on the other side.

You say you’re on the side of God,

But when one in every two trans youth

Would rather die than face your judgment,

You’re on the other side.

You say you’re on the side of life,

But if you cheered when we returned

To the age of coat hangers in dark alleys,

You’re on the other side.

You say you’re on the side of America,

But when you follow a man

Who would sooner attack the seat of government

And tear down the Constitution at its roots

Rather than admit he lost a fair election,

You’re on the other side.

You say you’re on my side

When you don’t like talking about politics,

But when you turn a blind eye

As the world burns around me

Like Arendt and Eichmann in Jerusalem,

You’re on the other side.

You say you’re on the side of liberty,

But when your right to not wear a mask

Is more important than

My right to not catch your disease,

You’re on the other side.

You say you’re on the side of the poor worker,

But when you’d rather pay less in taxes

Then make sure the poor have bread

And the workers have homes,

You’re on the other side.

You say you’re on the side of truth,

But when you believe without evidence

And reject evidence

You don’t want to hear,

You’re on the other side.

You say you’re on the side of law,

But when you’d rather wrestle chemical mace

From capitol police

And ignore the verdicts of courts

When they say there was no fraud,

You’re on the other side.

You say you’re on the side against fascism,

But when you put America first

To the detriment of all the world

And restrict freedoms to protect yourself

Whenever a gay, black, trans person

Frightens you,

You’re on the other side.

April 3, 2023.