wanna play….

the brown bag prophet
and
several of his cronies
were in the city park
playing
political-guess-who
the prophet
said
clue #1
deliberately and repeatedly
abuses the rights of citizens
there was
a deafening silence
that
followed the first clue
which
is understandable
given
the conditions in many countries
these days
clue#2
systematically represses
and
 criminalizes opposition parties
all the while
encouraging the use
of
force
against demonstrators
and
the press
once again
there was nothing but silence
also
not too surprising
given
conditions in the arab world
and
beyond into africa
clue #3
aspires illegitimately
to usurp
the constitutional role
of
democratically elected officials
rewrite the constitution
and
impose an authoritarian regime on the people
another useless clue
given
this pandemic characteristic
of
governments
these days
clue # 4
has mismanaged the economy
and
engaged in systemic corruption
as well as
refused to provide
humanitarian aid
finally it hit me
oh for god’s sake people
it’s maduro
the prophet
turned
and
said
clue # 5
think closer to home

 

pay-for-slay…

 

the brown bag prophet
was holding up
a sign
that said
let’s do pay-for-slay too
and yes
once again
i was compelled
to
inquire
why
the prophet said
well
we give billions
to
israel
and
other countries
so
if we really want
the killing
to
stop
we’ll deduct
from
those funds
for
each
innocent life
taken
of course
given
the number of deaths
already this year
some countries
will owe
us
money

 

migrant caravan…

 

it was
clearly
his grave
his name
was
properly inscribed
upon
the stone
denoting
this
was
indeed
his property
and
person
as for
the need
of
an archeologist
to
confirm
the obvious
it
was
not doubt
the appalling
result
of
technology
and
the need
for
an extended
runway
at
the airport
in other words
the
living’s need
for
a clear
conscious
when
disrupting
what
had previously
been called
his
final resting place
now
he’ll
either
be moved
to
the basement
of
a museum
or
transferred
to
a low rent district
for
reburial
in
a new
final resting place
well
until
the airport
needs
more space

 

pandemic…

 

ceaseless as the sea
waves of human cruelty
societies’ holocausts

 

political prisoners…

 

egypt
has
60, 000
political prisoners
trapped
behind bars
israel
has
1.7 million
caged
in the gaza strip
and
the united states
has
73 million
or
more
held prisoner
for
the ransom
of
a wall

 

having found a dead bird on my stoop….

 

i fully understand
life’s
hardships
and
survival rules
but
cannot understand
how
or
why
one would
want to encourage
the deaths
of
others
are
people
so
naive
as
to
believe
that
their fate
is
not linked
to
the victims
of
their crimes
of
desire
can they not see
that
this body
of
existence
is
comprised
of
different parts
but
still
a part
of the whole
if one slits
a wrist
death
in
emanate
to
all parts
even
if it was
the right hand
that
offended
the left
all parts
once cut
bleed
the blood
from
the whole
and
though
death may be
slow
death
will soon arrive
to
all
parts

 

ain’t no accidents…

 

girl child
and
the children
of
most folks
with
their first
breaths
death’s shroud
has
been
beneath
the exterior
of
their freedom
freedom
that
was no more
than
a phantom limb
they
were told
and
believed
they could
grasp
and
unlatch
the portal
to
self-determination
but
their dreams
were
always
intended
to perish
though
they
were
permitted
to
narrowly survive
and
allowed
to give
thanks
to
god
that
they
had survived
and
by doing so
were given
the option
on
heavenly real-estate