The X Factor

Let’s catch for us some puppets

Let them get caught between our rubbing hands

Let us collect them at their

lowest point

attach some strings

at their weakest joints

let us show them we care

Let them think that we love

Then let us rain

some money over their heads

and put them under burning lights

then let us fight

over the weakest

the most pliable

the ones with the least sense of worth

the ones with the most dirt in their past

Then let us surgically remove their backbones

and their minds

let us disguise their strengths

and clothe them in some new attire

then finally when they’re ready

let us escort them

into our fire

© 2011 Zoe Ray Johnson

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