poems about brokenness

Extraordinary Talent

Having reached a position of
Considerable affluence and influence,
He begins constructing an
Origin myth about how he made
Everything happen himself due
To his extraordinary talent and
Superhuman efforts, unlike the
Rest of those lazy slobs
Who are unworthy of success.
For all he cares, they can
Keep toiling away in his factories,
Relegated to their station in life,
Beneath the exceptional people.

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Unearned

They fight vigorously for
Her right to attend
The school, blaming
Her shortcomings on the
Meager allowances made for
Human beings who have been
Methodically and mercilessly
Oppressed by people
Who see them as inferior
And strive to maintain the
Supremacy they’ve always
Enjoyed over them,
False struggle,
Unearned privilege.

Same Tired Speech

She gleefully tells her
Class of college students
That she’s a proud
Believer in all things
Reactionary,
At once telegraphing
What she believes
And what she fears.
Nobody says anything,
The already indoctrinated smile,
Others sit in silent horror or
Perhaps boredom from
Having heard the
Same tired speech
So many times.

Pronouncements

I know you’re scared.
I see the discomfort
Contorting your face
When anyone gets close
To exposing who you
Really are: The broken,
Hurt being who never
Had the love he needed
And was forced to pretend
It didn’t matter,
The gentle person who
Gets trampled so many times
That he loses the ability
To feel for himself or others.
I know you have some
Fantasy about a death bed
Scene where you say the
Perfect thing that makes
Everything okay but is
Just another hollow gesture
Meaning very little to
Anyone but you.
Things were never really
As you saw them,
Pronouncements aren’t
Remotely close to compassion.

Disconnected

Lounging in their
Obscene mansions,
Completely disconnected
From the plight of their
Very own employees
Who struggle to make
Ends meet, to pay for the
Most basic of necessities:
Inexpensive food,
A one-bedroom apartment
For six people, utilities,
Public transportation.
At the top,
They don’t seem to care,
They never have to shop
In their own stores,
Or rub shoulders with
Anyone toiling to
Barely survive day to day,
People become nothing,
Figures on a balance sheet.

Face

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.

Nonplussed

She doesn’t pause for
Even a moment
Before she launches
The attack,
Anger buzzing inside her,
Thoughts clouded by
An overwhelming need
To fight.
The object of her onslaught
Recoils nonplussed,
Disconcerted by the
Abrupt ferocity,
Unaware of why it’s
Happening at all,
Given that this is
The first time they’ve met.

Dominant

Contrary to what some
People believe,
You can’t oppress a group
That is in power,
No matter how much its
Members screech and holler
And pretend that they
Are victims.
The dominant group
Is just that, dominant.

Health Problems

I hear you’ve been
Dealing with some
Health problems lately.
Cheer up, I’ve got
A plan to get you
The help you need.
Forget all that confusing
Stuff about single-payer,
What I’m offering is
Vastly better.
Simply take all the
Extra money you have
From your $7.50-an-hour
Job and put it in
One of these magical
Accounts guaranteed to
Pay for almost nothing.