Like Strings of Beads

Daily Note

Every day, a photograph, a poem.

They call them burglaries. Three of them. No thefts, just “vandalism.” It’s not “vandalism” when 14,000 people are without power during a continental winter storm. It’s domestic terrorism. It has a purpose and that purpose is disruption and harm. On Christmas Day. You can follow the Pierce County Sheriff’s website and check your news outlets.

Here’s an article in The Seattle Times: Two Tacoma Power substations, one PSE facility vandalized Christmas Day, authorities say. In the article, this paragraph notes the dangers:

A U.S. Department of Homeland Security memo warned in January that extremist groups have been creating “credible, specific plans” to attack power facilities since at least 2020. This month, two North Carolina electricity substations were shot up and damaged, causing thousands of people to lose power.

The Seattle Times: Two Tacoma Power substations, one PSE facility vandalized Christmas Day, authorities say.

And… not just three– four stations were attacked– the fourth with a fire. Read about it here at Bryan Alexander and CBS News.

Some people need some love and kindness because they are unconnected from and provoke harm to the goodness of people who live, work, and build infrastructures to support everyone.

And so, a poem– because all of us across the United States and beyond are in danger from these people. Contact your Congressional Representatives and Senators.

Like strings of beads

Like strings of beads
Draped across the earth
Flowing stories in the lines
Freeing power through the wires
Connecting us
Sheltering us
in our homes

Like strings of beads
Broken by spiteful hands
Strangling stories cut short
Pillaging power that protects
Uncoupling us
Assailing us
In our homes

Sheri Edwards
12.26.22 361.365.22
Poetry/Photography

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