Mad Courage

Honoring the 35^th anniversary of Daniel Ellsberg‘s

making public the Pentagon Papers.

Who are our daring mystics?

Where are today’s bold seers?

In the midst of this misbegotten muddle,

who are our secret shouters?

Let us go back, nearly two centuries:

Virginia Prophet with visions,

mad courage Turned Nat

from shackled free man to righteous rebel,

yet it was a failed insurgency.

Nearly three decades passing: Harpers Ferry.

Brown’s mad courage against slavery

hallowed that river confluence, but

his zealous raid failed as well.

Yet eventual Abolition was made

imminent.

Like Daniel’s mad courage,

a full century later, making Papers public,

then published under penalty,

hastening the end of a different brutality.

Let us know that lonely lunacy.

Let us wade these wild waters.

Let us decry deadly deception.

Let us stand here, let it be now.

Let us make mad courage.

(cc) Karen G. Johnston