Self-Fulfilling
There will always be poverty,
Uttered nonchalantly,
No realization of the crushing
Weight of words,
How they doom millions to
Lives of scorn,
Limited opportunities.
Casually mentioned phrase,
Self-fulfilling prophecy.
Lives
Lives in fear of those who are
Not the same. Perhaps they’ll
Come today. They might
Take everything away,
Usurp his power.
Invites a collage of people to
Spend some time, talk, laugh.
Growth surges, strength builds.
An open smile.
Obstacles
What a great idea.
In our democracy,
Let’s make it
Harder to vote
For certain people.
Erect additional obstacles,
Require photo I.D. to vote,
After all, you need
Identification for other things,
Your papers please.
Posse of stunted children
Sitting around a table,
Reinforcing each other’s
Pain, fear, anxiety,
Changing world.
Losing power,
Lash out against the powerless,
Limit their rights,
Cling to waning,
Perceived supremacy.
Panoramas
Past events dictating
Present behavior,
Unconsciously adhering to
Erroneous messages
Leading to calamity.
Open the window,
Breathe in the promise of
Vibrant panoramas,
Fresh possibilities flowing
Joyfully forward.
I’m on My Phone
I’m on my phone.
I’m on my phone.
Important as the next.
I’m on my phone.
I’m on my phone.
Furiously feeding my soul.
I’m on my phone.
I’m on my phone.
It will matter someday.
Slide
It’s not that funny when you’re the object of
Scorn and manipulation, subtly executed.
Stand right here for eighteen years,
I’ll show you what it’s like.
Difficult to make out any one thing let alone
Remember the specific time I failed under its
Growing weight. Slow motion immobilization.
Come now, I’ll tell you more about it.
Let us relive those glory days when,
Big as a mountain, you saw fit to
Slide into the valley silencing all
But your conscience.
From All Corners
From all corners
Of the globe,
The stench of
Inhumanity emerges,
Wearing different clothes,
Speaking different tongues,
Yet always soiled with
Hatred, intolerance, fear,
External and internal violence
Perpetrated heartlessly,
Offering nothing but
Agony, hopelessness, cruelty.
She Walked
She walked out of my dreams and
Into my van. I did not know her but
She said she was supposed to meet
Me there, preordained happenstance.
Stopping at a dusty convenience store
Purchasing sustenance of dubious merit.
Exchanging pleasantries and searching for
Clarity. Back on the road enjoying the
Wind blowing through our uncertainty.
Hone the Message
Quick bites,
Manageable chunks,
Empty platitudes
Satisfy cravings.
Minions inadvertently,
Eagerly doing the
Bidding for plutocrats.
Hone the message,
Muddy the waters,
Reap the rewards,
Funnel the spoils upward,
Perpetuate the cycle.