Brooke McGowan Photo + Music

“I AM DOWNTOWN: a call to action” 

@Penny’s Open Mic, 10.25.11 

(abridged)

“….And I went downtown
One battle won
And 99 victories to go
Already heard about it on the news,
and so it goes
But just by being there
It’s a victory for us all

And it is all of us downtown
The fraction of the 99%
Who occupy New York City
Who believe or
Who want to believe that there’s a better future
A percentage within a percentage within a fraction of our whole….

…And I walk downtown
Up Wall street
As a businessman shouts
“Give it up, it’s over.”
I respond,
“No, it’s just beginning”
As he shakes his head
Preparing for another workday
He is not the enemy
But symbolic of such
After all, he has a family too…

…I stood downtown
I found my words and I used them
I rubbed my eyes and saw clearly 
for the first time in years
Listened to what was said
and awoke from the deepest sleep
to remember 
we have choices
we have the freedom
and we have the right to our own lives
and how they play out.

I am downtown. 
Where are you?”