In a sudden moment of clarity,
She realizes that he never
Respected her.
In retrospect it seems so clear,
The constant belittling,
Snide remarks, manipulation.
A pervasive pattern of control
Passed off as caring,
Actions intended to subjugate.
She tells herself it can’t be true,
While knowing deep inside
It always has been.
Rugged individualism
Corrodes the bonds of society,
Which only thrives when
People work together
To build a greater whole,
Realizing that nothing
Happens without help
From others, that one’s
Life is richer because
Everyone agrees to
Participate sincerely.
Sadly, one cannot
Yearn one’s way into
Another’s heart,
Only skulk around
The margins hoping
Something will change,
Reading great promise
Into irrelevant events,
The object of one’s
Ardor unaware.
Every action directed at
Undermining vital institutions,
Weakening structures
That support the vulnerable,
Propelling a heartless agenda
Condemning the disadvantaged to
Perpetual suffering,
Feigning a smile while
Dismantling democracy,
The aristocracy ruthlessly
Asserts itself, yet again.
Unwavering fealty to
The group, the greater
Good left behind in
Favor of a narrow agenda
Benefiting only a few
At the highest end of
The scale, preferential
Treatment for those who
Already enjoy all the perks,
Long rows of identical
Drones marching in formation,
Obliterating everything
In their path to
Satisfy a pathological
Compulsion for power.
Desperately trying to
Get away from them.
They don’t contemplate
Or comprehend anything
Beyond their immediate needs.
It was always this way,
One person’s wounds
Engulfing another,
Obscuring humanity,
Forced journey to the
Bottom of the well.
It all started about
Two years ago when
His health started
Deteriorating, an
Illness his doctors
Said was chronic and
Difficult to treat.
It’s only been a few
Years since he’s been
Able to afford health
Care and it sure came
In handy when all this
Developed, although
Now he fears it will
All be taken away by
The people he voted for.
The thing about it was
That nobody was quite
Sure what had actually
Happened or how to
Interpret it, there
Being as many different
Versions of the events
As there were people
In the room, although
Everyone seemed to agree
It created a rather
Uncomfortable situation.
So traumatized by them;
He identifies with
His tormentors and inflicts
Upon others the same
Horrors he endured.
A bitter cycle of hurt
Unnecessarily perpetuated,
Ignoring myriad alternatives,
Familiarity over healing.
