She’s squatting in
This abandoned building
For the night,
Surrounded by strangers who
Have something in common.
She’d like to think that
Someone out there is
Worrying about her, but
She knows that it would
Only be for show, to make sure
The neighbors approve,
After all, they’re
The reason she’s out here.
It sounds like a
Wonderful dream,
A place devoid of compassion,
Where no one gets health care,
Persecution for not
Believing certain things
Is acceptable,
Violence rules,
Some people are
More equal than others,
A few own most everything,
Cruelty and callousness
Are celebrated.
They used to be
Able to take the
Family out for dinner
Once in a while
But that was before
The cost of
Everything went up
While their paychecks
Stayed the same and
Their benefits were reduced
And they were forced
To do more with less.
On this sweltering
Summer day,
The water discharges
Brown out of the tap,
Laden with all manner
Of contaminants and
Unhealthiness,
Provided to her and
Her family by officials
Who only care about
Giving all the money
To people not like her.
It takes a particular
Personality to vilify
Another group just
Because it doesn’t
Agree with one’s own
Biases, an entrenched
Fear and mistrust of
Things that are different,
A compulsion to classify
Whole groups of people,
Forcing them into a
Box labeled enemy.
On his day off,
He gets a call to
Come in to work though
He was just there
Seven hours ago.
Last week he was
On his way to start
His shift and they told him
It was too slow,
Go back home.
Jobs are few and
Far between here,
There are mouths
To be fed and
Dreams to put on hold.
The difference lies
In that they only care
About absolute power.
Collaboration
Doesn’t matter, only
Total domination,
A primal compulsion
To be in control to
Somehow make up for
Feelings of instability
Deep within, not a
Moment’s thought for
Anything other than
Immediate cravings.
She works full-time
For a large
Restaurant chain and
Still doesn’t make
Enough money to pay for
A dental appointment
Which, of course, isn’t
Something her employer
Offers as a benefit,
It being far more important
To make sure those at
The top are taken care of.
Under flimsy guise of
Choice and freedom,
Cavalierly dismantling
Vital programs offering
The less fortunate a
Chance to live a life of
Dignity, perhaps to
Succeed one day.
Turning the clock back to
A darker time when
The many had to fend
For themselves,
At the mercy of
So-called captains,
Two-bit pirates
Raiding the coffers.
