She’s thrown to the floor
By someone sworn to
Protect her,
In front of her classmates,
Who understand what’s
Really going on and how
It could be them,
And has already been the
Relative they visit
Once in a while,
Labeled early on as
Troublemakers who deserve
To be penned and forgotten.
Seeing them after so
Many years, it dawns
On her how different
She is now, not the
Same person that used
To be deeply enmeshed
In the intrigue and
Chaos, expected to
Get with the program
Without resistance,
Fold neatly
Into submissiveness.
He has a high tolerance
For the suffering of others,
Doesn’t seem to mind any
Kind of imbalance between
People, unless he’s on
The losing side of it,
But as long as it’s about
Some other person or group,
He couldn’t care less.
Preferring to have the
Whole world go up in flames
Than to admit wrongdoing,
Disturbingly fragile ego.
People don’t matter,
Only self-preservation,
Maintaining implausible
Illusion of invincibility.
Requiring constant attention,
Craving supremacy,
Staggering insecurity
Consuming everything.
He climbs on a
Trash pile,
The only life he’s
Ever known,
On the outskirts of
A city where
Other people
Make plans
To keep him
Exactly where he is
In perpetuity.
An event perfectly planned
Down to the most minute
Detail, swiftly derailed by
The most mundane of unforeseen
Glitches, competently handled
By some, a cause for great
Alarm to others, nobody
Notices on the outside,
Or cares, everything appearing
Just fine to the unsuspecting.
There is no one else
Like you
In the entire world.
You’re precious,
Important.
Your presence matters,
The planet needs you,
Share who you are
Deep inside,
Everyone will benefit.
So, this is how it goes
In this economic construct,
Companies so powerful they can
Do whatever they want to
Whomever they wish,
Without fear of repercussion,
Complete impunity,
Absolute lack of remorse.
What should be
A joyous moment
Becomes a tedious
Chore, fraught with
Discomfort, trepidation,
The memory of how things
Evolved to this point.
It would be nice to
Be able to avoid it,
But some things
Are inescapable.
