What side?

What side will you be on
when your kid returns from history class
where he first learned about the year divided
and how the streets were filled with tear gas?

What side will you be on
when he stops you to ask:
Do you remember that awful year?
And is it true about wearing a mask?

What side will you be on
while you look at his innocence?
Will you be proud of the side you fought for
or was this just another minor incident?

What will you tell him of that year
when the world shut down from corona
with unemployment at an all-time high
and how black lives were a bad persona?

What will you tell him of the president
the so-called leader for the land of the free?
Did you fall in line with his twisted views
or did you stand up for an equality plea?

Did you follow protocol of a lockdown
or did you protest your need of a haircut?
Did you keep quiet about a murder
or did you feel a pain in your gut?

What will you tell him of that year
when the world turned upside down
not for those in power or the privileged
but for those who are black and brown?

What will you tell him of that year
as he sits and listens to your recollections
of what you did to ease the pain
and how you voted during elections?

What will his face show
when he hears your replies?
Will he be proud of your actions
and who were your allies?

What side were you on
during the year so divided
will you finally accept the truth
of 2020 and of a world misguided?