Once upon a time

Words to start every tale

The cliche opening line

That makes English teachers groan

But children shut up and listen

Once upon a time

There were books

Books that told tales

Of adventures and lessons

Books that taught kids

Binary lessons

Of good

And of evil

Once upon a time

The world was split into right and wrong

Into good guys and bad guys

Then we grew up

The world became gray

Nothing was obvious

And everyone suffered

Once upon a time

We learned lessons that mattered

We learned how to be kind

We learned how to be loved

We loved ourselves

Once upon a time

There were people who protected us

Looked out for us

Made sure we didn't try to slay the dragon

Before we were ready

Once upon a time

We were thrown into the fire

By those who didn't care

And carefully patched up

And sent on our way

By those who understand

We aren't fireproof

Once upon a time

It was important to include everyone

It was all for one

And one for all

No matter where you looked

Once upon a time

News mattered

People dying mattered

Casualties were unacceptable

Because the world was black and white

Once upon a time

We realized some things had to be gray

And that was a good thing

But they took it too far

And now

Everything is a smokey haze

And no one wants to care

If it doesn't hurt them personally

But enough is enough

We need to be clear

We need to add black and white

Back into the spectrum

Just one's not enough

Not black

Not grey

Not white

You need all three

Black and white for moral truths

Murder is bad

Kindness is good

None of this nonsense

That grey is okay

Because then minorities get hurt

And people get killed

As we fight a war

Over who's gray

Is the proper shade

Gray is okay

When no one gets hurt

Binary gets lost

When opinions reign

And that's okay

Until opinions rule fact

And fact loses value

And people

Die

Enough is enough

Gray needs rules

Gray needs to be regulated

By black and white

Gender

And race

And sexuality

And lifestyle

These are areas

That are always gray

And that's okay

What's not okay

Is the people who

In touting themselves

As superior binary thinkers

Disregard the basics

of binary thinking

And murder is justified

And differences are cause for attacks

And hate

And death

When the binary

Of good is good

And bad is bad

Breaks down

The gray that is okay

Becomes besieged

By the gray that is not

And never should be

Okay

Once upon a time

I embraced the world

And all it had to offer

But now I lay awake

And fear that dreams stay dreams

And immoral gray will become the norm

Under the guise

Of the childhood binary

Once upon a time

Children learn the right lessons

But adults know none

When do we lose our minds?

When do we forget

To be kind