He’s still exactly
As she remembered him,
Whether that’s a
Disappointment will
Be revealed after
The conversation begins
And the things that
Have never been said
Try to make an appearance.
Just so its
Perfectly clear:
I polluted your
Water knowingly,
It fits with my
General philosophy
About business being
Able to do whatever
It wants and everyone
Else fending for
Himself or herself.
I don’t care if there are
Many other, more humane,
Ways to govern,
I take care of myself
And my own, period.
Throughout the square,
People walk quickly
And slowly, with
Purpose and randomly,
Going to wherever it is
They have to go or
No destination at all.
A woman looks at her watch,
A child runs after a ball,
Two men chat animatedly,
Pigeons take flight,
A statue quietly looks on.
The exhausting struggle
Between pessimism and optimism,
One seeing all the things
We can’t change and
The other visualizing
A new day. No small feat,
Convincing a doubter that
We can actually do
Something to help the poor,
Reverse the tide of
Discrimination, improve
Everyone’s quality of life,
Live in peace,
Save the planet.
It’s been shown time and again
That human beings can do
Amazing things to help
One another, enduring evidence
We are capable of moving beyond
Trepidation to collaboration.
He stands commandingly at
The podium, gesturing with
Contrived hand motions,
Wearing a creepy, plastered smile,
Confidently proclaiming that
He will take away
Everyone’s health care,
Limit women’s rights,
Deport the immigrants,
And continue his passionate
Pursuit of helping the rich while
Destroying everyone else;
The crowd cheers wildly.
Standing
Across the
Road from the
Place where he
Grew up and
Reluctantly became
What he is today
And wishes to
Leave behind.
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.
Looking back,
She should have known
That he would never listen.
Rationality would
Never be part of
His decision-making process.
He would make his choice
With no understanding of
Its ramifications.
There would never be
Any acknowledgment of any
Possibility of fallibility.
Things would always
Be this way,
Unexamined.
All I remember is
Being in the room,
Surrounded by people
Who I suspect would
Not show any emotion
Even if the situation
Demanded it, and feeling
Completely alone,
Without even the slightest
Connection to anyone,
A lost child walking
The wrong way against
A crowd, unable to see
Anything but knees,
And wishing I were
Anywhere but there.
