Oh these days, living in a caricatures ink,
Where extremes become normal each day,
I turn on the TV and can’t help but think,
It seems Archie Bunker has gotten his way.
Crowing “Those were the days” with ironic flourishes,
An anti-hero, imperfect, a misguided clown,
Meant to shine light on our cultural skirmishes,
Not to be held up as the toast of the town.
The cult of ignorance has built a platform
On top of our lizard brain prejudice fears.
Sneering “pass the buck” if you fail to perform,
“Idolize my fame, and villainize your peers.
Pay no attention to evidence you see,
And whatever you do, just don’t blame me.”

“The blood of the covenant
Is thicker than the water of the womb”

Whenever I die
This shall be etched on my tomb.
For family we have,
Should be family we choose.

Measure your worth
One zero at a time.
Before the decimal
The American way.

When the hardships you helped write
Slowly start to slide into your life

Don’t pray for me
I don’t want you by my side.

Save your prayers
To justify every dark impulse
We all saw coming.

When this dust settles
This rift between us
Will fester and ooze
And there will be nothing left to do
But make fake conversation
To fill the awkward silence,
As we pretend we share values.
And the realization of Déjà vu will hit,
That this isn’t the first time,
But will it be the last?

Yelling is my failure
To understand
That you’re not an extension of me.
As my  inward anger bursts out
Only to be squelched
By the disappointment
In your eyes