good poems

Old Town

They razed another
Section of the old town
To make way for the new
Towers that will house
People far better off
Than his family, which
Has lived there as long as
Anyone can remember.
Not a single question was
Asked or history considered,
An insatiable need for
Space imposes its will
On the former community of
Regular people working
Modest jobs to survive in
Their ancestral homes.

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Their Divorce

It was around the time of
Their divorce that he began
Taking an inordinate interest
In his children.
Where he had once been
Absent and aloof,
He now regarded the situation as
A quest for justice
In the face of immoral oppression,
His desires superseded by
Data, history, and common sense,
A jilted ex-spouse fuming at
Having his privilege revoked.
He founds an organization
Dedicated to supporting
His dubious cause.

Morning

Lihua, can you
Help me with this?
Now! I said.

What’s gotten into you
This morning?
So slow.

Today is mopping and
Cleaning day,
Get the supplies.

I’m meeting my
Friends for lunch,
I’ll be back at 3:00.

I want everything
To be perfect,
Don’t make me look bad.

Past Present

I wish I could cast
You aside like something
That doesn’t matter
Anymore, that’s used up,
Served its purpose,
No longer needed,
But you keep hanging on,
Showing up when I least
Or most expect it,
Reminding me of things
I’d rather forget,
Leaving me no choice
But to fall into
Your familiar arms,
Pervasive past,
Present stifled.

Cherished Moments

Those cherished moments
Stalking a living creature
To assert flagging manhood,
An obscuring cloud of
Euphemisms shared to
Justify cold-hearted killing.
No one will dare impugn
Our masculinity now that
We’re proving how virile we are
Carrying these metal members
And pretending it’s about
Camaraderie and enjoying nature,
Not senseless violence to
Avoid appearing feminine.

The Way It Is

A condescending
Pat on the head
Is all he gets
For standing up for
Those who have nothing
And a system that
Routinely denies
Basic opportunity.
It’s just the way it is,
Platitudes regurgitated by
People who can’t envision
A world where
We take care of
One another and
Compassion is the norm.
Ignoring ignorance
And indifference,
Always moving forward
Toward a brighter day.

Jubilation

There’s no unease
Around here about supporting
The worst people and causes,
Just a sense of jubilation at
Perpetuating a cycle of
Fear, anger, abuse, sickness.
Strutting around each day
Hiding their soft underbellies
Under gruff exteriors.
Inside they’re all children
Yearning for love,
Wanting to belong.
It’s hard to dream when
All you’ve known is nightmares.

Flagrant

A few companies
Collude to limit the
Choices available to
Consumers, oligopoly.

The fixed, painful,
Exorbitant cost
Of everything,
Lack of competition.

A rigged game,
Every move benefiting
Corporate
Behemoths.

Flagrant muggings
Perpetrated by
Sleazy swindlers
In expensive suits.

Shredded Shamelessly

Untethered behemoth
Brazenly throwing its
Weight around.
Cater to its every whim or
Be crushed under its
Remorseless might.
Flimsy shiny objects line
Endless aisles in a
Temple of rapaciousness.
Unhinged hunger for more,
Humans shredded shamelessly
Until nothing is left.