Let Us Heal
by Naiel Chaudry

It is hard to unsee after having seen
Such a painful unforgettable scene

Families being separated and shaken
Children in their mothers arms, being taken

Hearing their calls for help and screams
Watching their teary eyes and broken dreams

They were left with no choice but to give in
This battle for freedom they could not win

I remember the day that led to today
We lost our American soul that day

With a vicious stroke of a powerful pen
Lives were changed of muslim women and men

That is what led to our nation's heartbreak
It was for sure not a trivial mistake

They were left with no choice but to give in
This battle for freedom they could not win

MLK's dream had long been shattered
As if his people had never really mattered

The departed souls leaving behind sadness
All because of someone's raging madness

I walked with hundreds at a rally and cried
For what happened has left us all horrified

They were left with no choice but to give in
This battle for freedom they could not win

As we stand here today, closing one door
We are left with the choice of peace or war

Let us start this new year hand in hand
As we heal ourselves and our beautiful land

"Let Us Heal" was written and read by Naiel Chaudry, a sixth-grader at Bullis Charter School in Los Altos, at our Peaceful Presence on January 11, 2021.