the brown bag prophet
was holding up
a sign
that read
fear not nra
given
there are
alternative meanings
i asked him
do you
mean
we should not
fear
the nra
or
that
the nra
should not
fear
the
latter
the prophet
said
because
they’ll lose
their
bump stocks
but
keep their
m16’s
so
we’ll all
have to continue
to
fear them
and
the murders
they
co-sponsor
the brown bag prophet
was sitting
at a city park table
when i finished
my morning bike ride
he was writing
and had
an unusually intense look
about him
i asked
what are you writing
a letter
to the president
and
the rest of
the nra staff
in the congress
asking them
to provide
the school children
and
teachers
here in the city
with some of
the same body armor
they plan
on sending
the syrian rebels
cuz’
these streets
are a battlefield
of an undeclared war
ignored by
salaried politicians
who swore on
the holy book
to care
for the victims
of society’s dictators
this here’s
guerrilla warfare
where drug lords
and
corporate reps
rule the streets
these kids
should be given
the same
protection
offered to non-residents
of this
fair
land of ours
a small token
of hope
to fend off
the bullets
paid for by
political
kiss ass
no bullets were used
a simple trade of money
for a young child’s life
digital decoupage cwmartin
the man
next door
to aunt bea
a lifelong member
of the nra
has been
bugging her
for some time now
to get some
protection
as he calls it
insurance
for a woman
living alone
she’s
offered
a number of
reasonable arguments
attempting to soothe
his genuine concern
but
none have made
the slightest dent
in his thick skull
so
i was certain
that his most recent
request
to assure her safety
safety in dire peril
in light of the
ever-increasing
horde of foreigners
he had cataloged
coming into the neighborhood
would meet
with the same fate
as prior proposals
imagine my surprise
when she said
yes
i was certain that
she’d never acquiesce
and go with him
to the local
gun
protection shop
she did
and when
the man in the shop
asked
what she might need
she said
perhaps
a grenade launcher
so i can
keep pace
with my neighbors
Read Between the Minds 