Why the decision was made
Is beyond his understanding,
Only able to see
What he presently knows,
Not realizing that
There are things
He does not yet grasp
That affect determinations
Made regarding what he does,
Not because of malice,
Personal whim, or caprice,
But rather something else
He will, hopefully,
One day comprehend.
They’re running out of ways
To squeeze more money
Out of them.
They’ve lowered their wages,
Raised gas prices,
Increased grocery costs.
Bank fees levied,
Cell phone service astronomical,
Cable TV costs prohibitive.
Health care obscene,
College tuition impossible,
Mortgages unaffordable.
There’s only so much juice
You can extract from a fruit
Before it withers.
Such a grand fund-raiser,
Everyone dressed to the nines,
Flashing sequins, air kisses,
Hearty handshakes,
Blindingly white teeth,
Taught, shiny faces.
Impeccable pedigrees announced
At the door (new money
Will get you in too)
A chance to hobnob with
The movers and shakers,
Support a worthy cause,
The joy of charitable
Giving to perpetuate
The established order.
Breathe in, for it will be a while
Before you can do it again.
Guard against marauding
Chimeras salivating for your soul.
Defensive posture, ready to
Strike at the smallest provocation
If need be (and there always is).
Don’t let them take anything from
You, crouch, crouch.
Pervasive greed
Supersedes everything else
As they make their
Way through
Stately corridors
Where, notably,
But not to them,
Their predecessors have
Made decisions that
Would benefit the
Greater good rather
Than fill the
Shaking hands of
Rotten megalomaniacs.
It’s become some
Sort of sick joke,
Essential staples becoming
Cheaper, smaller,
A brazen ripoff.
In some opulent room in
Another vainglorious high-rise,
A group of self-satisfied
Men in tailored suits
Justify their existence by
Reducing the size of
Vital necessities.
They break for lunch,
Boasting about how they
Just scored some more
Money for the one percent,
Squeezing and discarding
Everyone else.
All these years
Thinking things were
A certain way,
Only to find that
He was completely mistaken.
Novel insights
Brought about by years of
Self-examination,
Concerted shift in
Thinking over time.
Swirling feelings of
Loss and anger,
Relief and hope,
New opportunities unhampered
By obsolete patterns.