they're dancing in the streets tonight
celebrating someone else's pain
like hyenas drunk on blood and fear
while the milk goes sour in their refrigerators
the television blares about savings at the megamart
and nobody remembers how to grow their own freedom anymore
they revel like gloating goats, shitting
and prancing on expensive things like rights, equality and decency.
I watch them from my window
these proud patriots of conformity
waving their store-bought flags
made in countries where children work sixteen-hour days
"but the milk is cheaper now"
they say, stuffing their faces
with processed dreams
while their neighbors disappear
nobody asks where the musicians went
or why the poets stopped showing up at the café
or how the old man who spoke too loudly
vanished one Tuesday afternoon
they're too busy comparing prices
at three different stores
posting their outrage online
about the people who dare to say they're scared
the fear tastes like metal in my mouth
while they toast with plastic cups
to their own tarnished condescension
their own blessed ignorance
you can hear them laughing
about the "sensitive ones"
who saw it coming
who tried to warn them
but warnings don't matter
when you can buy two gallons for the price of one
and pretend the cameras on every corner
are there to protect you
me, I'm drinking straight whiskey tonight
watching the milk curdle in the moonlight
remembering how freedom felt
before we sold it by the gallon
- - - Heide Brandes
No comments:
Post a Comment