Picnic at the Paradox
Moe brought a cooler of sanctions,
solar forks, and a map none could decipher.
Larry arrived late, juggling borrowed napkins,
his blanket stitched from debt and belief.
Curly came barefoot, carrying a basket
woven from rainwater promises and expired aid.
They were going on a picnic
a summit of rations and rank,
where ants negotiated borders and
flies whispered in acronyms.
Moe claimed the hilltop,
called it “advantageous terrain.”
Larry traced the sun’s arc,
measuring shadow like currency.
Curly settled in the soil,
offered a spoon and a slogan no one translated.
Moe swirled his tariffed wine:
“Universal healthcare. Electric cars.
We even compost our guilt now.”
Larry folded a napkin into protest:
"Tell that to your bulletproof backpacks.”
Curly stirred dust: “My kids learn in bunkers.”
They unpacked their meals:
Moe served imported justice
in biodegradable trays.
Larry offered leftover rights,
reheated from last year’s protests.
Curly brought empty bowls.
Moe’s grapes were climate-controlled
Larry's pre bitten sandwich had no filling
Curly had soup boiled from eviction notices.
Moe raised his glass: “To progress.”
Larry raised his debt: “To survival.”
Curly raised his bowl: “To the ones still missing.”
At the end,
The ants redrew borders in blood.
The flies whispered ceasefires.
The hill was mined with metaphors.
They left behind spoons, slogans
and spreadsheets of suffering.
And they took
Columns for causalities,
formulas for famine
and margins too narrow for mercy.
Copyright © abdul Mannan | Year Posted 2025
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