poem of the day 10.12.11

frustration

we stand at bus stops
waiting for buses that do not come
to carry us home from jobs
that we do not want

wait in traffic with the other zombies
listening to hate radio and satellite songs

we sit in crowded parks of revolution
dirty, tired, hungry
with the frog-faced cops glaring
holding their pepper spray cans
waiting on the next civil movement to spark

we receive the paycheck
knowing that it will never be enough
to erase our loss of time

or we hunger for the paycheck
as the politicians preen and haggle
over their wasted millions
and tax cuts for the rich

deep down we know that no jobs
are coming this way

we eat unsatisfactory meals
in unsatisfactory restaurants
laden with brainwashing salt and fat
and then we tell others to try them

drink overpriced coffee
out of a chain store oasis

and drive cars that are still the size of tanks

we look for other gods
religion, alcohol, sports, and politics
failures each and every one

we look for connection
in an increasingly isolated world
watch television to ease the heartache of thought
and play with telephones without an answer

we have pets who are so kind
that they’ve accepted our breed of human love

we hate with such beauty
that which we refuse to understand

preach our archaic way around the world

ignore dignity and restraint

we are a lost and foolish people
reveling in our idiocy
flying flags to hide the shame of ignorance
putting the dumbest ones into the highest
positions of power

and there will be no more art
until we figure it out
no great geniuses coming down the pike
no great politicians

but there will be a blackness
a blackness so pure that it’ll be impossible to see

and it’s desolation will taste like blood and flesh

we feed the frustration of existence
by just being as we are right now
by just getting out of bed
for a glass of orange juice
and the morning paper

by finding the strength to do no more
than survive.