quiet dissent

for Deborah, my flowergirl

she snuck off at seventeen to experience woodstock’s
second day

she protested at the pentagon
she cared for the poor
the downtrodden
the priviledged

the concept of equality took form through her actions

she felt deeply
she thought deeply
she loved and cared deeply

she was a quiet voice of dissent
who loved people and life “to bits”

she inspired her family
her students
her friends and strangers

she left us with the possibility
that there will be others
who will pick-up where she had to let go
others who will thunder the voice
and actions of quiet dissent

Paul Cech has been writing poetry since 1970. Several of his poems have been published as Saturday Poems in the Pittsburgh- Post Gazette and the Thomas Merton Center of Pittsburgh has published several of his poems in NewPeople. Read other articles by Paul.