In Their Place
Beneath all the
Deceptive rhetoric about
Protecting this or
Morality that,
There is a fervent
Desire to control women,
Keep them unequal,
Subservient,
In their place,
Catering to the every
Whim of their oppressors.
Code of Conduct
We are much better than
Allowing children to starve,
Condemning people to die from
Lack of affordable health care,
Cheering on a frontier-town
Code of conduct,
Relishing a total lack of empathy
For fellow citizens,
Delivering every break to
People who don’t need them,
Withholding opportunity from
Others deemed unworthy,
Shunning the vulnerable,
Tolerating hatred and bigotry,
Building a society that exalts
Cruelty as it staggers backward.
Encroachment
He’s never been called
A derogatory name because
Of what he looks like or
Where he was born.
The encroachment of these
Strangers makes him really
Uneasy, might have to
Move to another neighborhood.
Furious that they come in
And take away everything
That’s rightfully his,
The arrogance of privilege.
Leader of His Community
The upstanding,
Morally superior,
Leader of his community
Ends a wonderful meal
By informing the waiter,
On the check, that he
Won’t be leaving a tip
Because he doesn’t
Agree with his lifestyle,
Although the service
Was impeccable.
Resurface
There are things that
Need to be finished
And yet aren’t.
Matters left for
Another time
That never arrives.
Regrets stuffed
Deeper down, to
Resurface another day.
The Ability
We have the
Ability and the
Means to solve
Any social problem
In the world,
We just lack
The will,
Or perhaps it
Should be said,
The same people
In high places
Keep it from
Happening.
High School Online
High school online,
The popular kids
Preening and primping,
Everyone else trying
To be like them even though
None of it matters.
People left out, made fun of.
Pretending meaningless relationships
Mean something.
She leaves, inviting everyone
To contact her directly,
No one does.
Interest
None of them
Have any interest
In helping the
Less fortunate,
Although a couple
Of them talk
A good game to
Give their cronies
The cover they
Need to do
Heinous things.
Friends
A group of
Friends at a
Favorite restaurant.
One of them
Says something rude
To the waiter.
No one says
Anything,
Looking away instead.