Thursday, April 9, 2020

QUARANTINE LIFE: POETRY PROMPT: ANOTHER ONE GONE









People tripping over themselves

Trying to be the greatest in the kingdom
Thinking they’ll succeed like no one else
Boot licking and bowing, grinning, and some
Taking marching orders from a fool
Thinking they’re above the law
And flaunting all the rules

Are they keeping score, or are they blind?
Clearly, there’s a pattern they aren’t seeing
Is favor what they think they’ll find—
As long as they keep nodding and agreeing?
Daily, little pieces of their souls
Are chipped away, as well as
Any dignity they’ve  known

Hard to understand why anyone
Would work all of their lives, and in an instant
Risk their self-respect until there’s none
Mourn their reputations from a distance
Daily hoping no one will surmise
Their memory’s not good
And they can’t keep up with the lies

Still they hope that they will be the one
Just do what they’ve been told; no consequences
Thinking they’re exempt when trouble comes
Desperately trying to mend fences
Bad company will always leave them scarred
And with straight face, will sternly say
“I don’t know who they are”.

How many more will dare risk it all?
Is the promise made really that tempting?
Integrity laid down when duty calls
Precedes--no--guarantees a career ending
At some point, “I just did what I was told”
Can’t be the first excuse they use
When their missteps unfold

What DOES their master have over their heads
That makes them fall in line, and condone nonsense?
Or, are they who the kingdom seeks to find
Spineless, lukewarm, desperate, and on the fence?
Are they manipulated? Are they scared?
Or do we see the evil streak 
That has always been there?

Perhaps some started out to do some good
Not get all caught up in the master’s madness
Maybe it's that they all misunderstood
How narcissists control the circumstances--
Demand allegiance, but loyal to none
How many more will leave in shame
Before this farce is done?



VRWc2020

No comments:

Post a Comment