Fliers

I hand out fliers because I believe in government

Because I believe it's better than its opposite

Because I don't believe in complaining if you're not willing to engage

If you're not willing to get your hands dirty

I hand out fliers despite the cold

Despite the time off I have to take from my real job

Despite the cynicism of the people who walk by me

Despite my cynicism that lingers whenever I read an article

Lambasting the candidate I've chosen to support

I hand out fliers because I want my kids to live in a better world than I do

I hand out fliers because my parents marched for civil rights and women's lib

I hand out fliers because my grandfather was in the army so I could hand out fliers

I hand out fliers because my little sister wants to be President one day and some boy in her class told her she couldn't be--that they don't let girls be President, and didn't she know that?

I walk up and down streets

And talk to people

And they're nice

They're good people

Even the ones who are rude

Or who don't stop

Or who criticize me for what I'm doing

I hand out fliers because I have a right to hand out fliers

Because though I may not be an important person

I am a person, all the same

I have an opinion

And a mind

And a voice

And a vote

I don't expect anybody to believe what I believe

But obviously I hope they will, otherwise why would I believe it?

All I do is hand out fliers

To support a woman who is running for mayor

And who will lose

I do it knowing she will lose

Because my favorite book is To Kill a Mockingbird

And my favorite part is when Atticus tells his kids--

'I wanted you to see what real courage is, instead of getting the idea that courage is a man with a gun in his hand.  It's when you know you're licked before you begin but you begin anyway and you see it through no matter what.  You rarely win, but sometimes you do.'

The person I vote for is going to lose
But that doesn't change the fact
That I voted
That I believe in what she stands for


A flier may get read
Or thrown away, or ripped up


It may provoke or infuriate
Or make no impact whatsoever


But it's a voice


So I hand out fliers


I use my voice


And in that way


I am important