Gods At The End Of Civilization

I wrote couple poems about current events.  Today the entire world is controlled by the private interests of a few financial institutions.  Recently the United States Supreme Court has said these private interests have as much rights as those who can read these words, drink water and have families they love.  

The court decreed that these private business groups are in fact people with unalienable rights just like living breathing human beings. These newly commissioned 'people' have a loud voice, one which politicians hear and listen to in lieu of hearing other voices to the contrary.

The private business interests are few compared to the masses of ordinary public people.  But yet the private business groups in their private conversations are listened to by those who make the laws and the voices of multitudes of ordinary citizens fall on deaf ears.

There is no longer a class that is "the people" in the ordinary sense.  Now there is the "people" who do not breathe, drink water, get hungry or have families that influence the halls of congress.  The former "people" have been cut loose to go begging.

I wrote the following poems with that thought in mind.

Litany of the Poor and Oppressed

Beseeching the Oppressor

We don't want the things you want,

we want employment

Chorus:  you want profit.

We don't want the things you want,

we want clean air and water.

Chorus:  you want profit.

We don't want the things you want,

we want friends and neighbors

Chorus: you want enemies,

you want profit.

We don't want the things you want,

we want peace on earth.

Chorus: you want endless war

and profit.

Benediction:

May God grant us employment.

May God grant us clean air and water.

May God grant us friends and neighbors.

My God grant us peace on earth.

Amen.

The poem was written to be read by one person and the refrain "you want profit", or in the case of the last two stanzas the last two lines, to be spoken by a chorus punctuating each stanza.

                    What Does Poverty Mean? 

(Or Did Marie Antoinette Have It Coming?)

Among other things poverty means

eating rice and beans every day,

it means counting raisins and

scrimping on sugar for your oatmeal.

It means asking a friend if she can give you

enough coffee to last to the first of the month,

it means milk, butter and eggs

cost more than you have,

it means toast and peanut butter,

but no jelly.

Poverty defines life,

it narrows and pinches it.

It means late notices,

and power shut off ,

it replaces well-being with despair

and thoughts of insurrection.

Marie Antoinette had it coming…

didn't she?

I put my sentiments into poetry and visual art. 

You can see the  visual art in the video below.

I'm one of the people who need air, water and food to live. I bet you are too.

Poetry and art copyright 2015 

by David H. Roche