Consumerism
outsourcing…
sunken eyes
blackened with fear
flesh
stretched tight
over
a fractured skeleton
a framework of despair
too weakened to move
or
swish away flies
flies
on
unattended sores
festering wounds
of
war
war for
computer chips
or
more precisely
the resources needed
to
manufacture chips
precious semiconductors
necessary
for
calling out
for
pizza
or
chatting
with
unknown friends
who’ve
been befriended
but
not one call
to
this child
while you were waiting…
i’ve noticed
that
you’ve
begun
to talk
to
shadows
and
wait
quietly
for
their reply
one
that never comes
but
still
you wait
like
some marble monument
depicting
an unknown saint
slain
in
the service
of
an unknown god
i
suspect
that
you
do not see
the
encroaching darkness
nor
understand
the perils
of
your compromising
you’re
too engrossed
in
your dreams
of
power
to
see
or
hear
death’s proclamation
i
claim
your
soul
for serving
the
god
apate
consumed…
so easily confused
the prey
or
the predator
roles
that often
seem
interchangable
depending
on the moment
in
history
but
there are
only
a few
true predators
consuming
every aspect
of
their prey’s life
their
flesh
and
bones
even
their souls
are
cannibalized
but
the unwary prey
go about their
ritualized routines
praying
in
churches
grasping bibles
while holding
questioning faith
riding
subways
to
resent filled positions
where
they’re demeaned
on
a regular schedule
but
the salary’s necessary
to
payoff the debt
they owe
the predators
so
they
continue
to be
consumed
tomb raiders…
like locusts
that
devour every living thing
grave robbers
have set upon
the land
they’ve come
in waves
the first
were
those
just seeking
the finest treasures
all the while
spray painting graffitii
to cover up
all the sacred symbols
the second wave
was comprised
of
magistrates
ministers of the law
seeking
personal glorification
by
possessing
those things that would
extend their power
in the eyes
of
others
the last wave
were common men
tearing
through the tomb
seeking
scraps
whatever
tossed aside
by
those
whose actions
had taken
justice
and
freedom
from
the nation
sympathizers…
each took
a turn
to pound
the nails
into
the hands
and
feet
none chose
to
voice concern
for
their part
in this foul deed
since
each
blooded hand
obtained
personal gain
and
fame
for the crucifixion
of
the nation
free will…
outside an open grave
sun burns a man’s rotting corpse
there’s no one to grieve
dried fingers clutch coins of gold
he dug this grave years ago
random acts of violence…
simulated waves
of
empathy
wash over
the bodies
in
the street
bodies
wearing
corporate logo t-shirts
corpses
photographed
like
selfies
on
iphones
and
posted on facebook
for
likes
by
social mercenaries
dreaming
of
corporate sponsorship
while
police
with
city seal embossed
face masks
employ
non lethal rubber coated
lead bullets
into
the eyes
of
reporters
and
into
the skulls
of
vietnam vets
those
old men
on
their way
to fill prescriptions
for
heart meds
a
med
not need
for
those without
a
heart
intensive care…
initially
no visible symptoms
of
impending demise
although
patient’s prognosis
was
questionable
due to
prior
illnesses
however
patient reported data
implied
there was
no need
for
concern
but
an internal
infection
had continued
to
spread
sepsis
that soon involved
all
major organs
severe sepsis
until
the nation
was in
septic shock
a hapless
victim
of
its
own
untreated
choices
docked on the river styx…
did we
just
arrive here
or
have we been
on
this course
for
quite sometime now
few places
are
arrived
by accident
most
are
set courses
by
either
ourselves
or
those
before us
had we
not denied
what
clearly
was written
our final fate
would have been
perhaps
different
but
we
chose
to
stay
the course
