American wasteland.
It’s a party you’re invited to.
Plan on unstable conditions.
We put incompetence before security,
and disguise your losses as little things.
The corruption's open, unmistakable and court approved.
We’ve undone the shackles of constitutional checks,
and we’re steadily enlarging our jurisdictions.
Independence will be costly, but dependence is invoiced too.
We’ll watch the social thesis melt, as resources dwindle,
and everything becomes more expensive.
If you’re still uncertain of the issues,
you may have the ears of an ass.
You’re all-in whether you know it or not,
and the canaries have stopped chirping.
Is democracy still a plausible success story?
.
.
A song for this:
The Adults Are Talking by Mila Smith [E]
act like you know (feat. Muni Long) by Master Peace [E]
to splash …
words like watercolors
dialect, dripping …
a canvas of cognition
soft-stained with dreamy notion -
tinged with tender twilight
and sins invoiced …
oh, to throb a heart
or draw the briny issue of an eye …
to mutter of the ages
or a meadow of highland heather
to change a mind
or a world
with phrase alone …
what more could a soul ask
but (gently) this?
no blushing reach
or starry vault
could e’er match the wonders
of simple pen and page
put to task by one
foolish man’s meandering …
and his child’s heart
I …
of all such beasts
am blessed …
indeed.
Copyright © Gregory Richard Barden, July 10, 2022
for freedom of speech we pay the price ~ comes from our mouth when we’re invoiced
By
David Kavanagh
Sleeping through forgiveness…
I’m re-invoiced by the pain
The nightmare real, escape undone,
the reasons all to blame
Trapped within my memory,
each image haunts and preys
Excuses gone as judgment reigns
—one final bill to pay
(Villanova Pennsylvania: April, 2019)
Brutus said to Cicero, “Hang on, let me get this straight-
A Hypernym's a collective noun?” “No, no”, said Cicero, “wait-
I'll give you an example if you let me have a minute,
'Weapon' is a Hypernym and all the hardware in it,
the swords, tridents, ballistas that are used by Roman forces
are Hyponyms, component parts, but not including horses”.
“By Jupiter! I've got it now!'” young Marcus Brutus yelled.
“Like Galantine” Cicero averred, “it finally has gelled.
I told you I could make it clear, Nullifidian no longer,
so Quid pro Quo- get out your purse and pay my invoiced Wonga”.
“ But what's an Antonym” said Brutus, “thought I'd throw that at ya”
“It's your best mate” sighed Cicero, “who married Cleopatra”.
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