Je suis Charlie Je suis Ahmed in Minnesota

Deep windchill.
My son and I
hear again on the radio
this morning,
your days,
as if they were something to breathe.

I don't know what to do
from this periphery,
so I breathe in, like tonglen,
confusion, sorrow, defiance.
I breathe out unity, liberty, peace.
I breathe in your confusion, sorrow, defiance,
and breathe out your liberty, unity, peace.

"What are you doing?" Orion wonders
as I sit at the table, eyes closed, breathing -
urgent voices, gun fire, questions in the air.
"Part of my part" I say,
breathing in confusion, sorrow, defiance,
breathing out unity, liberty, peace
for you.