me, mIself , and I
do not consider why
it's you that I deny
mI conscience bears no weight

mI wants are what I will
your needs to me are nil
mI pockets must I fill
while you suffer and I sate

I’ve more than I can use  
and yet I still abuse
but don’t you dare accuse
though you, may I berate

since you could do the same
without the fear of shame
don’t point at me and blame
deep down you grudge mI fate

when will we all accede
this system’s primed by greed
self –service is its creed
unselfish love
the brunt of hate

Fever-flushed children and
Broken bodies
Litter hospital halls like so much
Human refuse
….Wondering why
their need for care is treated so tepidly by a
Society which worships
Profits
Power and
Prestige
….Waiting while
they wallow in anguish as
Privacy
Paperwork and
Payment are
Debated by bureaucrats in cubicles
….Wanting to be refreshed and
restored to some measure of usefulness
….But
Free to Pursue Life on their terms in exchange for  
Silence
Acceptance and
Despair

Huddling for warmth and in
Fear of discovery
they assemble in rag-tag formation
having scaled formidable fences
Seeking freedom from
Poverty and oppression
Searching for work of any sort
….No matter how
Humiliating or
Hard
….No matter the
Cost or
Conditions
Disparaged and despised they labor
in hope that their children will have a chance for success
instead of suffering a similar fate
…..But
Free to Pursue Liberty
in a land where their presence is
Ignored if not Denied

Unkempt in camouflage
One-legged and
Vacant-eyed
he rolls his rickety wheelchair along grassy median with muted effort
displaying cardboard sign
childishly scripted
in one weather-worn and gnarled hand
while clutching a decapitated jug in the other
Forgotten
Forlorn, and
Discarded veteran
Victimized far more by country than foe
….But
Free to Pursue Happiness while
Begging on street corners as
Upright citizens dispense
Unwelcome opinions or
Pocket change with equal
Self-righteousness


Life
Liberty and the
Pursuit of happiness….
Ideals that slowly incinerate on the
Altar of Capitalism
….Songs forever lost in the
Cacophony now
Played on the
Instrument of Politics

Wild beasts of prey
sought to mangle and slay
those souls who believed
and to one God did pray

Thousands led to the slaughter
innocent sons, ****** daughters
before a great Roman Caesar
was baptized with water

                                               ….and civilized society
                                               deplored such impiety
                                               crying Never Again
                                               shall we suffer insanity!

The ecclesial of privilege
did torment and disparage
whom they might perceive
to be guilty of sacrilege.

Masses were murdered
into prisons were herded
in God’s Holy Name
the inquisitors consorted

                                            ….and civilized society
                                            deplored such impiety
                                            crying Never Again
                                            shall we suffer insanity!

Church elders would castigate
whom they judged to be profligate
to fires consigned
hell and brimstone their fate

Too many were burned
before it was learned
no possession took place
no demon was spurned

                                          ….and civilized society
                                           deplored such impiety
                                           crying Never Again
                                           shall we suffer insanity!

The cotton-culled gentry
who prospered from slavery
forsook all compassion
to embrace what was monetary

Families were fractured
unwillingly indentured
till brother fought brother
to forge a free culture

                                                     …and civilized society
                                                     deplored such impiety
                                                     crying Never Again
                                                     shall we suffer insanity!

The great Aryan pride
led to mass genocide
obscuring such motives
their atrocities to hide

They led millions to exile
into death camps so vile
as nations ignored
their deafening Sig heil!

                                               No, Not Ever Again
                                               was still the refrain
                                               but so quickly forgotten
                                               while the world grew insane.

Unkempt dreadlocks atop threadbare suit
he enters the subway car with confident stride
The scents of self-neglect clear a path for him
as though he were a king.

He takes a seat and with uplifted chin
gazes without apology at onlookers
who pretend not to notice his grand entrance.

With deliberate slowness he extracts a half-eaten candy bar
from a crumpled paper bag and fastidiously takes a bite
brushing invisible crumbs from grimy jacket.

Poverty of circumstance has not diminished his dignity.