How sad
To use one’s gifts
Expressly to hurt others
Instead of trying to
Build them up,
Encourage,
Love.
I’m not a racist but
I just don’t trust
Those people.
They lie.
They cheat.
They steal.
They’re
Not
Like me.
We have
Nothing
In common.
It’s always
Been
This way.
There’s just a
Natural order
To things.
I resent
Your
Insinuations.
This
Conversation
Is over.
Aggressive roars disturb
The once peaceful neighborhood.
An old woman peers out
Through the shutters.
Another rumbling behemoth
Imposes its dominance.
A new way of doing things,
Flouting civility.
One person’s other
Is another human being’s
Mother, father
Working long hours
At the distribution
Center, hoping to
Get ahead, rent a
Larger apartment,
Feed the family while
Putting away a few
Dollars here and there
To send the kids to
College, the realization
Of a dream, a generation
Not toiling in sweatshops
Being shouted at by
Those who think they’re
Inferior in some way.
Those devoted to creating
A world where every person
Fends for himself
(It’s always himself)
Never think beyond their
Next acquisition, their base
Hunger temporarily sated
By whatever petty victory
Convulses in front of them,
A dark scheme promising
Plenty of suffering and
Pleasurable moral tales
To make them feel good
About their depravity.
A barely charismatic buffoon
Captures the narrow
Imagination of malcontents
Who yearn for a return
To the good old days
When they could insult
Anyone they wanted to
And impose their will
On anyone who didn’t
Look like them.
Nationalistic cries
Generating an autonomic
Response of hatred and
Complete lack of hope.
Things never turn out well
When people put their
Hopes and dreams in
Violence, hardness,
False bravado,
Trying to project strength
Where only fear resides.
There are so many other paths
Leading to far more
Beautiful destinations
Than dread,
Places where love is the norm.
A jovial, friendly sort,
Always a joke or
Smile at the ready.
Back at home,
He rages against
Those people.
Ask him in public,
He loves everyone
And everything.
In private is
Where the truth
Shows its face.
Please adhere
To the plan,
Without thinking
Or questioning,
Just do what we
Tell you to do
And keep your
Thoughts to yourself.
At all times,
Think only about
What we tell you
To think,
All free-thinkers
Shall be re-educated
In one of our
Facilities.
As always,
Continue watching
The screen for
Directives.
