When asked why there
Is so much acrimony
Between opposing camps and
Whether it’s worse now
Than ever before,
He responds in a manner
Devoid of self-awareness
That we could all benefit
From a more civil tone,
The exact opposite of
What he did when he
Was in a position
To set an example.
Swarms of zealous
Dark figures fan out
Across the city,
There’s a mission
To be accomplished here,
Must protect all that
Is sacred, rid our
Shores of this horrid
Menace, return back
To the days when we
Only turned on
Each other.
That almost imperceptible
Difference in the air,
When we’re not quite sure
The seasons are changing
But some primeval instinct
Is telling us
That things are not quite
As they should be, that
Some new force is
Insinuating itself,
A historical whisper,
We reassure ourselves
It can never happen here.
She knew what it
Was like growing up
Without food on the table
Because the weather didn’t
Cooperate that season,
Her parents staring
Forlornly into the distance.
She spent many days
Wandering down dusty lanes
Thinking of the time when
She would leave that
Place and start anew
Somewhere where the
Buildings reached for
The clouds, where anything
Was possible, where she
Could run the show.
She made it to the
Halls of power and she
Never missed an opportunity
To destroy families like hers.
Everything was just grand
For the Johnson family
When they were swimming
In money, living in the
Right neighborhood,
Associating with the
Toniest socialites,
Disparaging people
Who weren’t as fortunate,
And just enjoying the
Perks of being at
The top of the food chain.
All that changed when
Circumstances beyond
Anyone’s control emptied
Their pockets, leaving them
Destitute and looked down upon
By their former best friends.
He dares speak out against
Undeniable injustice and
The machine shrieks wildly,
Facing its own reflection,
Convulsing at the realization
That it has been exposed,
Dreading the possibility of
Having to pay for what its done.
An alert is sounded,
The minions rise,
A massive smoke screen appears,
Fealty to symbols instead of people,
A diversion to avoid talking
About sordid reality.
Short on money for bills
Again this week and unable
To get an advance from either
Of her jobs, she sees an
Upbeat ad on TV assuring
Her that she can get the
Cash she needs if she
Just owns a vehicle.
She walks into the place,
Glances at all the people
Who look just like her.
She signs over her car title,
They let her know the great part
Is that she gets to keep her car,
That it will only be taken away
When she is unable to
Pay back the loan.
Starting from a position
That everyone is broken
And each person is on
His or her own doesn’t
Leave much room for
Empathy or optimism.
Routine condemnation
Does nothing to alleviate
The suffering of untold
Millions who work hard
To eke out a living and
Would be doing much
Better had not people who
View them as deficient
Designed a trap to keep
Them where they are.
