Another ‘interesting’ week in the news, it seems…

When you open your eyes
are the monsters gone?
No matter what you do
it seems there’s always something you fear
something you feel compelled to banish
cut away or kill
Once you’ve made the choice
how do you feel?

Did you know about the lies
that they were just putting you on?
You didn’t think it was up to you
among millions, surely no one would hear
crowds usually make individual voices vanish
as they close in for the kill
But you always have a choice
whether or not you think it’s real

The world still has the ability to surprise
it challenges our will to be strong
Before the night is through
you’ll pour yourself another beer
and wait for it all to finish
averting your eyes from the kill
(at least you still have that choice)
as if not seeing it makes it less real

But you won’t escape the angry cries
of those who’ve been stomped on
and left to make their way through
the wreckage wrought by your irrational fear
your rash decision to banish
your neighborhood from the rest of the hill
because your fear has shouted down their voice
for the sake of killing the deal

(24 June 2016—posted June 25th)