Continuous loop of
Intentional untruths,
Slickly packaged
Obfuscation.
Constant stream of
Hatred, bigotry.
Extreme bias peddled
As normal.
A slow poisoning
Of the environment,
Progress grinding
To a standstill.
Smug, detached,
Filth-spewing mannequins,
Their masters
Absconding with the money.
They look the other way
When one of their own
Goes after those they fear,
A revolting alliance of
Bigots defending a
Foul state of affairs,
Dismissive of people
Who have genuine grievances,
Eager agents of supremacy,
The putrid face of
Unbridled privilege.
He’s taking a shower,
Just like he has for
Fifty years.
Lather here,
Lather there,
The usual routine except that
For the last few months
He’s noticed that his
Soap bar, the same brand
He’s used since the seventies,
Is smaller and carved into
Some kind of strange
Space-age, high-tech shape.
Tapered in the middle,
Scooped out on top,
He can’t seem to get
More than a few days use
Out if it before it breaks
In half or dissolves.
Angry, he tries other brands
Only to find
They’re all the same,
Not an honest deal to be found
Any longer.
Uncontrolled hubris,
Little guy shafted.
Ubiquitous talking head
Flaps his crooked mouth about
Character and poverty.
Finding yourself poor
Is a personal flaw caused
By the luck of the draw.
Lazy analysis of
Complex issues,
Ignoring obvious data.
Born with no opportunities,
Higher likelihood
You’ll stay there.
A veil of fear
Falls upon the land.
Outwardly robust but
Inwardly trembling minds
Devise strategies to
Keep everyone scared
To death
Of everything,
Like them.
Pervasive environment
Of insecurity,
A threat around every corner,
Masterminded by cowards
Unable to feel
Vulnerability
Or courage.
Arising from deep pain,
Struggles etched into psyche,
Internalized oppression crushing
Innocence – hope – independence,
Self-relegated to subservience.
Awarded the opportunity to succeed,
Leveling of the playing field
Mandated by people who understand
It’s not balanced, lingering specter of
Institutionalized marginalization.
With a dismissive sneer,
Chooses to take the shackles of
His forefathers and clasp them
Back on innocent wrists, ankles,
Wounded and wounding.
So, anyway…
I’ve had this weird pain
In my side for quite a while and
I asked my boss if I could
Go have it checked out.
He told me in no uncertain terms
That it was an inconvenience and
My pay would be docked.
I went to a doctor…
So much money for just
Sitting there waiting forever and
Only being seen for a couple minutes.
No coverage at work so
It comes out of my pocket,
Wonder if they’ll be mad at me
For missing a couple hours.
Dust accumulating,
Unperceived at first,
Difficult to clean
Once it’s past a
Certain point.
A gradual erosion of
The riverbank by
A changing current,
Carving away
Vital ground.
Change settles in,
Water warming to a boil,
Unwitting shift in attitude,
Things have always been
This way.
At an ordinary
Business meeting,
She finds herself in
An impromptu exchange
About an issue that
Deeply affects women,
Casually but passionately
Argued by a colleague
Who has made her views
Known on more than one
Previous occasion.
After listening for some time,
She shares that
She’s no feminist but
That she thinks women
Should be able to
Make decisions for themselves,
Unintentionally advocating for and
Limiting her own power,
An unconscious interplay between
Patriarchal, hierarchical
Upbringing – programming
On one shoulder,
Self-determination
On the other.
The struggles of those
Who came before her disregarded,
Inadvertent setback,
The conversation shifts.
