8/14/25 poetry roundup #2

Where I Reside

The annals of society; where I reside

As far removed as the dark side of —

The moon

Cold concrete graves encased in

Steel bars

Piercing supernatural lights

Policed and patrolled by

Horned custodians

Sanctioned — to exact violence

Draped in red white and blue capes

Nature? This is anything but

This gloomy construct

Manufactured to house the poor, brown, and sick

Humans dismissed — in the millions

Overcrowded — close spaces

Oppressed people

Entombed in “justice”

It’s criminal

Removed from society

REMOVED FROM SOCIETY


“Us” Leftists

Bright eyed and bushy tailed

Us “seize” the day — to just “BE”

Our ideas — our vision — takes root and sprouts like a

Spruce, oak, redwood

Our commitment to that day doesn’t shake

Resistance IS essence to us

The world exists to be changed — shaped — like clay

Suffering pitfalls like rolled ankles in gutter holes

Yet — us persists; staggering, and wobbling

Mutual aid sustains us — never doing “it” alone

Us knows the truth about — us — queers artists youth

So — us will rise and grind — stealing time from our

9-5 — plotting by candlelight

Meeting fascists in the day

Finding ways to sustain — us — outside the state

Resistance IS essence — so hope remains

To win one day — our faith in the hands us hold

The ones of us who know

MAWA (Make America White Again)

What to do when —

Your very existence is

Criminal —

Immigration

Illegal

Institutionalized;

Freedom — LIES

American dream is anything —

BUT

Best as a “dream”; that — at least — is free

Peace and civility

At the expense of —

Violence and humanity

“Give me your poor and your sick”

And we’ll lock ’em up quick!

“Your weak and your frail”

Better placed in jail

Publicly; it’s ugly to see

Hate to admit; that we have poor and sick

So we disappear them

SICK!

“Get off the streets you criminals!”

“How dare you be poor!”

“Get out of my country you!”

“But — pick the fruit before you leave.”