triangle tattoos…

the hands
on
the old man’s watch
stopped
as
if
his fears
had entered
an inanimate object
he stared out
from
his apartment window
into
the darkness
memories
projected
onto
today
men
in black uniforms
herding people
into
the street
cursing each breath
they took
striking anyone
who resisted
the poor
the elderly
man or woman
it
made no difference
for
they were not seen
as
humans
but rather
the cause
of
a
sick nation
but now
he was
in
america
and
the scene
that
took place last night
must have been
a nightmare
for
this is
portland

 

self-protection…

before
their eyes
opened
fine threads
of
social expectation
were
layered
around
the infant form
distorting
the view
of
the outside world
and
stunting
the growth within
an arrested development
caused by
a malnutrition
of
truth
as had been expected
with such containment
there were fatalities
but such deaths
were easily
projected onto upbringing
and
or
personal parental failures
leaving the society
blameless
those that
finally
emerged
from
the cultural cocoon
were
as
had been planned
unable to discern
social injustice
accepting
the white cane
of
forced poverty
that denied
them access
to
most of the entry points
of
success
living their lives
as
moths
flutter around
the flame
of
hate
most disconcerting
to
the oligarchy
however
were
the few
that emerged
as
dragons

 

ciudad santuario…

sassy little city
ain’t listening
to
nobody
dressing
as
she pleases
got
million of hearts
so
never misses
a beat
dares
to speak
in
tongues
without
any damn
divine inspiration
or
apology
to
xenophobic zealots
that
refuse
rights
to others
in
their stolen land
so she
lifts up her skirt
to give
the oppressed
someplace
to
hid
never revealing
where
or
how
they arrived
she merely
smiles
and
walks away
then
pulls
the curtain
of
night
leaving
the fools
sitting alone
in
the dark

 

preamble to decay…

words shredded
with
hate and anger
lie
unrecognizable
at
the feet
of
lady liberty
a few scraps
have been
reassembled
freedom
for
pursuit
of
more perfect
common
to
insure domestic
welfare
do
ordain
ourselves

 

ethic cleansing…

stars
have dimmed
once
vibrant colors
symbolizing
freedom
and
justice
have faded
bleached
by
the glare
of
ignorance
and
complacency
to
corrupt power
turning
this nation
into
a whiter shade
of
pale

 

nyctophobia…

count
the heartbeats
passing
before you
as if
each
beat
is the sound
of
their footsteps
feel
their pulse
in
the blinks
of
their eyes
the
flow of their existence
in
their facial
postures
and
their demise
in
the silence
of
night
that darkness
where
you’re
unable
to
sleep
for
fear
of
your own death
now i lay me
down
to sleep

 

autumn patriots…

roadside
improvised
explosive
political devices
nothing more
than
home-made mercenaries
pretending
to
believe
in freedom
but
failing to understands
its
most basic principles
shedding
their white sheets
in order
to
change
their attire
into
that
of
those
they disgrace
true patriots
who died
for
freedom
those
the president
called
suckers
and
fools
whose
sacred ground
of
liberty
swine
now stand on
holding
weapons of war
like
ss goon squads
set on
purifying
the nation
a nation
to
which
they
have no true
alliance
rather
an alliance
to
ignorance
and
hate

 

 

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

 

 

barabbas …

murderous traitor
count the dead in this nation
how can anyone
that claims that there is a god
crucify the innocent
instead of the beast
do they long to bathe in blood
that of our children
or of those too poor to beg
for their god’s mercy
are silver coins of greed’s realm
worth denying sacred words
will the holy bed
be soiled with the putrid
lies of one man’s lust
or will the faithful remove
each bloody nail from faith’s hands

 

departure…

canopy
conceals
the stars and moon
darkness
shrouds the source
of
sounds
in
a veil
of
fear
sounds
come from
all
directions
none louder
than
the boy’s
pounding heart
as
shallow breaths
join
the chorus
of
fear
suddenly
strong scents
fill
his nostrils
it’s like
an approaching death
pulse
quickens
he
lowers his body
to
the ground
becoming one
with
the earth
then
a torch
is lite
he is encircled
by
his elders
bapa dola
speaks
saying
each hunter
must have empathy
for
their prey
the taking
of
life
for survival
means
the end
of
survival
for
another
so
should be done
with
respect
and
understanding
of
the prey’s fear
a fire
was lit
and
the elders
brought forth
nature’s offerings
for
a boy
was now
a man