Tell Me About A Time

“A stark look at how society fails to learn from past mistakes

Tell Me About A Time


Tell me about a time of the War on Terror /
I'll tell you about the war in Ukraine --
Unprovoked aggression and civilian suffering.
Cycles of violence used to justify more violence.
And still we haven't learned--
That flags don't shield the innocent from falling.
How to value all lives equally, not just those politically convenient.



Tell me about a time of laughter /
I'll tell you about a time of pain --
When strangers and car rides were dangerous,
Now it's swipe culture, rideshares, and dates with people
We barely know--from an app.



Tell me of a time of SARS /
I'll tell you about COVID --
We thought we were ready, we weren't.
We had warnings, and still, it spread.
Two global crises. Two chances to prepare.
One repeated mistake.



Tell me about a time when Judy Garland, Joan Crawford,
Marilyn Monroe and many others were forced onto casting couches --
Often exploited in exchange for roles.
I will tell you about a time where change looked like it was happening --
Some of these men were finally caught.
People like Bill Cosby who went to jail after the Me Too movement
Only to make some kind of twisted deal and be released.
The one event in all of this looks like maybe something did change --
Only to prove once again we've learned nothing from history at all.
And sadly, we probably never will.