Desperately trying to
Get away from them.
They don’t contemplate
Or comprehend anything
Beyond their immediate needs.
It was always this way,
One person’s wounds
Engulfing another,
Obscuring humanity,
Forced journey to the
Bottom of the well.
She’s really upset
Because she’s had
Everything handed to her
And, this time, things
Didn’t work out the way
She had come to expect.
She’s adamant someone else
Got the type of break
That was always given to her.
Her parents support
Their little princess,
They’ll find a way
To make sure she
Gets what she wants.
She tries to scream
But all that comes
Out is a whimper.
Her whole life
Has been about
Trying to get along.
She reaches
Deep inside and
Finds her voice.
A beautiful sound
Emerges, making
People uncomfortable.
She’s squatting in
This abandoned building
For the night,
Surrounded by strangers who
Have something in common.
She’d like to think that
Someone out there is
Worrying about her, but
She knows that it would
Only be for show, to make sure
The neighbors approve,
After all, they’re
The reason she’s out here.
The thing about it was
That nobody was quite
Sure what had actually
Happened or how to
Interpret it, there
Being as many different
Versions of the events
As there were people
In the room, although
Everyone seemed to agree
It created a rather
Uncomfortable situation.
It was the look
Of contempt that
Changed everything,
A fixed stare
Piercing right through her,
Narrowed eyes,
One-sided smile,
Devoid of any empathy,
Now an object of scorn,
Written off as unworthy.
On this sweltering
Summer day,
The water discharges
Brown out of the tap,
Laden with all manner
Of contaminants and
Unhealthiness,
Provided to her and
Her family by officials
Who only care about
Giving all the money
To people not like her.
It all started about
Two years ago when
His health started
Deteriorating, an
Illness his doctors
Said was chronic and
Difficult to treat.
It’s only been a few
Years since he’s been
Able to afford health
Care and it sure came
In handy when all this
Developed, although
Now he fears it will
All be taken away by
The people he voted for.
So traumatized by them;
He identifies with
His tormentors and inflicts
Upon others the same
Horrors he endured.
A bitter cycle of hurt
Unnecessarily perpetuated,
Ignoring myriad alternatives,
Familiarity over healing.
