The upstanding,
Morally superior,
Leader of his community
Ends a wonderful meal
By informing the waiter,
On the check, that he
Won’t be leaving a tip
Because he doesn’t
Agree with his lifestyle,
Although the service
Was impeccable.
We have the
Ability and the
Means to solve
Any social problem
In the world,
We just lack
The will,
Or perhaps it
Should be said,
The same people
In high places
Keep it from
Happening.
None of them
Have any interest
In helping the
Less fortunate,
Although a couple
Of them talk
A good game to
Give their cronies
The cover they
Need to do
Heinous things.
She’s thrown to the floor
By someone sworn to
Protect her,
In front of her classmates,
Who understand what’s
Really going on and how
It could be them,
And has already been the
Relative they visit
Once in a while,
Labeled early on as
Troublemakers who deserve
To be penned and forgotten.
He climbs on a
Trash pile,
The only life he’s
Ever known,
On the outskirts of
A city where
Other people
Make plans
To keep him
Exactly where he is
In perpetuity.
So, this is how it goes
In this economic construct,
Companies so powerful they can
Do whatever they want to
Whomever they wish,
Without fear of repercussion,
Complete impunity,
Absolute lack of remorse.
He didn’t amass his
Fortune alone, although
He’ll tell you he did,
The sightlessness of
Privilege being what it is,
All he really did was
Be born a certain hue to
A family with the means
To support his endeavors,
A society that was set
Up to favor people like him,
Laws that protected and
Favored his interests while
Keeping down the competition
He claims he loves.
It’s cited as common knowledge
That both sides are the same,
But that’s not actually
True upon even the most
Cursory examination:
One group leaves a trail of
Suffering and devastation for
Everyone but the rich,
The other strives to help the
Most vulnerable, except
When members of their ranks
Emulate their foes.
One of the sides
Works hard to make sure
Nobody knows the truth,
Clearly benefiting from
Misinformation, propaganda,
The opposition’s fecklessness.
Cruelty versus cowardice,
A lethal state of affairs
For the little guy.
She tells a group of
Receptive listeners
That the poor are that way
Because they are lazy
And subhuman, though she
Doesn’t quite word it
That way, it would
Far too clearly
Reveal her prejudice and
Shocking lack of empathy.
