Although I wish
It were different,
I have no expectation
That it will ever change –
Stubbornness being
One of those qualities
That doesn’t lend itself
To self-reflection or
Capitulation of any kind;
The need to protect a
Molten core of fear
Much stronger than any
Noble impulse.
He remembered the one instance
His father spent time with him.
An autumn day, the smell of
Nature invigorating. Quietly
Walking along, leaves alternately
Crunching and squishing.
Rivulets sparkling; a bubbling,
Gurgling, comforting symphony.
An arm around his shoulder,
Only that one time.
She wakes on a cool
Spring morning to find
The chamber’s fireplace
Already stoked.
Outside on the lawn,
Several men lie where
They fell last night
During the revelry.
Miss Averill appears
To help her with
Her toilette so she
May appear for breakfast.
Below stairs several
Servants ensure her meal
Is perfect although
Completely undeserved.
Deeply conventional,
Revering tradition and
Established practices.
Unconsciously submissive,
Loathing authority but
Following strongmen.
Acutely unimaginative,
Copying rather than
Creating anew.
Impulsively aggressive,
Quick to anger
When challenged.
Fiercely disliking
Anyone who isn’t
The same.
Profoundly hypocritical,
Living in compartments of
Contradictions and myopia.
Intensely dogmatic,
Unwilling to change,
Immune to reason.
He won’t bat an eye
At spending obscene
Amounts of dough on
Advertising or superfluous
Giveaways but he’ll
Fight to the last breath
Over paying his employees
A living wage or providing
Health care of any kind.
No contortion or legal
Maneuver is too outlandish
When it comes to
Stiffing his people.
No matter how much
Time or money it costs,
He’ll endeavor to not give
Them one more cent than
His meager mind deems fair.
He settles into bed
In one of his seven
Vacation homes,
Sleep undisturbed.
The entire
History of
Civilization:
Damaged
People
Battling to
Hang onto power
At the expense
Of others,
Regardless of
The consequences.
A few enlightened
Souls struggling
To show there
Is another way.
At the same time
He discriminates
Against others,
He reasserts his
Belief that he
Is being
Discriminated against
And that his already
Dominant group
Should stand up
For itself against
The multihued infidels
Who are uppity
Enough to question
Their place.
Without flinching,
They authorize
Savage torment,
Projecting their fears
And desperate need for
Power and control onto
Their captive targets.
Not a moment’s reflection
Or second thought –
Subconscious reaction arising
From too many years of
Patriarchal indoctrination and
Forced obedience,
Profoundly ordinary –
Distressingly banal,
Merciless,
Just following orders.
Arising each day
In an obscene
Fantasy world
Where brutalizing
Another human being
Is commonplace.
Subservient to fear,
Sickly minds
Play sordid games,
Scorning, ridiculing,
Ignoring humanity,
Lecherous ritual.
He sleeps well
At night knowing
That rivers of
Money are flowing
Into his already
Bloated coffers
While his workers
Struggle with
Whether they should
Pay the electric bill
Or put food on
The table.