poems about society

Subdue

Where are your papers?
Show me your identification.
Crooked smiles betray
Inner brokenness.
Limit the rights of others,
Satisfy thirst for control,
Demean – marginalize – subdue.

Imposition of capricious rules,
Ostensibly to keep the order,
De facto keeping people down.
Nothing but complete subservience
Will do for reactionaries
Who have never known anything
But abusing power.

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Takeover

Ruthlessly punishing
Human beings who advocate for
Justice and fairness.

Siding with
Ghoulish defenders of
A toxic status quo.

Fearing a takeover
By people who care about
The common good.

Destructor

In comes the destructor with
Righteous carriage and
Assured gait, a gift not
Beholden to human niceties or
Cumbersome compassion.

Methodically eviscerates all
He dislikes with swift saber
Strokes of skepticism and
Tantrum. He knows the way and
Will get it one way or another.

Emanating

Though they’ll never
Admit it,

Cowardice hiding
Behind secrecy,

They don’t like him
Because he’s not like them,

He’s different,
Other, foreign.

They can’t fathom how someone
Historically subservient,

Though they won’t
Say it in public,

Can hold a position of
Authority above them.

Fetid waves of
Hysterical fear,

Weakness, prejudice,
Fuming at perceived

Loss of power,
A deeper impulse

Emanating from
Foul precedent.

Complete

He was mesmerized by the sound of
People cheering in adulation.
His hunger was satisfied by
Constant compliments. At the
End of the day, he looked online at
The throngs of admirers captivated by
His every movement and utterance.
Before he went to sleep, he watched
The television presenters inform the
World about his latest projects.
He turned off the light, alone with
Complete, desolate emptiness.

Exuding

Laugh a dry, clipped, hard cackle
Born of circumstance and necessity.
Spew words that diminish and
Marginalize humanity.
Give just enough affection at infrequent
Intervals to leave the vulnerable
Wondering if they measure up.
Cast judgment on those who don’t
Meet arbitrary requirements
Exuding from chronic hurt.

Lie to Me

Lie to me,
I’m ready to accept what
You say as true.
See in me the weaknesses
You can exploit for your
Own advancement.

Lie to me,
I’m willing to suspend my
Disbelief because I never had
It in the first place and I’m
Not ready to deal with
The pain.

Fine Fowl

A gaggle of geese busily chattering about
Nothing in particular meets once a month in
The usual spot. They waddle around,
Exchange pleasantries, comment on each
Other’s feathers, talk about the weather,
Catch up on the latest gossip. A newcomer
Enters the room and is cordially preened and
Invited to stay. Announcements are read that
Are important to geese. Their new guest makes a
Comment that causes the group to stop what
It’s doing and consider taking flight. Too
Controversial for this gathering of fine fowl.

Trampling Delicate Flowers

The whimsy of a kind word,
Lovely picture, thoughtful
Gesture, silly story,
Innocent giggle, affectionate
Wink, gentle hug, quiet moment,
Inner insight, peaceful realization,
Untainted by maudlin, cheesy,
Common denominator product
Thoughtlessly ingested by dull
Plodding herd inattentive,
Trampling delicate flowers.