no alternative
another day in america
i’m listening to the king of pop
there is a poster on this train
telling me that just one more drink can hurt
hurt what? i wonder
one more drink has been my salvation more often than not
on the poster there is a white guy
he’s in a suit and tie and he’s holding a beer outright
he looks like he’s pointing and yelling at someone
it’s no surprise though
white guys are always yelling at someone
immigrants, underlings, their kids or their women
take away the suit and tie
and he could just as easily be at a barbeque
telling someone what an effete commie the president is
the poster says
to keep your friends from hurting themselves or others
cut them off, it demands
this is all fine
but the poster offers no alternative to alcohol
like joining a bowling team
or selling your soul to jesus christ
it doesn’t get to the root of the problem
it doesn’t ask why people drink
or about violence, rape, bills, jobs, traffic,
boyfriends, girlfriends, husbands, wives, kids,
disease, squalor, guns, congressional bully pulpits
expired dairy products on grocery shelves
or white guys in suits always telling you what to do
the king of pop
he sings about being only human
but in america
we think we’re better than that
we smile and pretend
that every day is the fourth of july
in the land of immaculate exceptionalism
don’t end up like the white guy on the poster
another fortunate son going down that dark and lonely road
another statistic
go to college and become a businessman
the CEO of a major corporation
mainline while milk and caffeine
run a company into the ground for sport
only when the deal goes down don’t grab a drink
hit the beach in golden exile
sip coke until its coming out of your ears
learn how to play volleyball instead.
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