the men and children are sleeping

but the mothers are crying tonight

like Weimar mothers cried

like Yugo-mothers cried

and the drug of fanaticism

sells better than Afghan poppies--

the addiction to the illusion of power

where a man can be a man

with the grab of a pussy

or the flip of a switch

or a hammer he can cock

as long as he stays a cog

turning in the machine

for the blood of our sons

for the fear they will take up this fate

and own it one day too

for our daughters we want to empower

but cannot protect

for the children who are standing naked now

without the cloak of privilege

tonight America seems asleep

but around the world

the mothers cry