Moonstone is dedicated to communication. One of our missions is to create discourse by giving voice to poets, especially on controversial issues. I received a poem from g e Reutter called Traitor on the January 6 insurrection which made me realize that this was an issue we have not responded to yet.

More than 2,000 rioters entered the Capitol building on January 6, 2021, many of whom vandalized and looted the building. Rioters assaulted Capitol Police officers and reporters and attempted to locate lawmakers to capture and harm. A gallows was erected west of the Capitol. Some rioters chanted “Hang Mike Pence” after he rejected false claims by Trump and others that the vice president could overturn the election results. Five people died, more people were injured, including 174 police officers. As of July 7, 2022, monetary damages caused by attackers exceeded $2.7 million. More than 1,230 people have been charged over the course of three years, with many trials still pending.

This year, 2024, is the next presidential election. Donald Trump has said, if elected, he would pardon himself and all of those convicted. Was January 6 the work of Traitors or Patriots? What do you think?

Write a poem and send it to us here.

Traitor by g e reuter

Subways grind along

Freights sound their horns

Commuter trains round their curves

Buses heave to and fro

As the people go about their business

As they do everyday

Unaware that the traitors are amongst us

Some living next door

Some standing in coffee lines

Some teaching our children

Some protecting and serving

Some in trusted positions

All who betray us

All who betray the nation

All who betray the constitution

All who believe the autocrats

All who betray freedom

And for no other reason

Then they think rich people

Care about them

Fools I say

Fools they are

Ignorant of history

Of what has come before

Of the death and dying

Torture and genocide

They do not know what they ask

And forgiveness will not come

They send their money to

The grifter in chief

He laughs as his minions do

Counts every penny

Thinks people love him

Maybe time for a piece of cake

Big boy

Time is coming

Justice is coming

Hang on to those passports

Cowardly imposter

You will crack like an egg

Narcissism aside

Survival of the weakest

Your strong suit

Blame everyone

But yourself

Cowardly imposter

Run and hide

And when the fools

Find you ripped them off

Had them betray their nation

You had better hope DOJ

Gets you first

Tumbling, falling, drowning

Again like you have always

Scattering others like a

Fleeing roach

And what of the people?