We fight a hard wired self-hate
perpetuated three generations deep
a shut-factory broken-toothed anger
that finds no solace in shop work or service
they had more, once
so kids get to swallow it too
drink it deep and let its grim bloat leach
into blood and skin and hair
we fight hard as hell
with teeth and tongues of tolerance
and claws to catch and hold
to pause, not patronise
to see that inertia is owned