Misdirected rage,
Flawed grave reasoning,
Flailing against imaginary
Monsters under beds.
A shift in perspective,
Assumptions upturned,
Unfamiliar changes underway,
Movement misunderstood.
An urge to maintain order,
Preserve pervasive power,
Vehemently opposing kindness,
Collective advancement.
Although no one can tell
From the outside,
There are many seemingly
Insignificant events that
Send him into paroxysms
Of discomfort and anxiety,
His mind overwhelmed by
Intrusions he has no choice
But to endure, disproportionate
Reactions to abstractions,
A tight smile the only hint of
The incessant turmoil within.
They understand the
Galvanizing power of
Perceived peril and
Are more than happy
To invoke the existential
Threat of the day to
Keep people in a heightened
State of alert, unable to
Think about anything but
The imminent danger they
Face as their pockets
Are expertly picked.
He’s lauded as an
Intellectual giant,
Someone who changed
The course of history,
Who left his imprint on
The fabric of the nation,
Who set a course of
Wisdom and conviction,
Except if you’re one
Of the people he hated
For no other reason than
Insecurity or prejudice,
And who suffered because of
His magnificent decisions.
It was clear
He tried his best
But, as usual,
It just wasn’t enough,
It never was,
Which brings us
To today.
He remembers vividly
The moment he realized
That all they cared
About was themselves
And all they really did
In life was exist from
Day to day, desperately
Trying to avoid the
Hurts from their past
And oozing their pain onto
Anyone in the vicinity.
One supposes that it
Would be in everyone’s
Best interest to educate
All the members of a
Given society so that they
May all have access to
Some dignified level of
Personal and professional success
And build a stronger nation,
But there always seem
To be voices shouting about
How there’s no way we
Can give everyone equal
Opportunity. Using any
Number of rationalizations,
They try to convince themselves
And anyone who will sympathize,
That there is some reason
That they deserve to be on top
And others should suffer.
How sad
To use one’s gifts
Expressly to hurt others
Instead of trying to
Build them up,
Encourage,
Love.
He’s amassed wealth
Beyond his wildest dreams,
And it is from
This lofty perch
That he decides
To shaft as many
People as he
Possibly can.
She’s become more successful
Than she ever thought possible,
And it is from this
Vantage point that
She chooses to
Help those
Less fortunate
Than her.
