Too long
we left the snakes in charge of the henhouse.
Pimped out,
and fat on eggs
they're complaining
about the service
as they hold us to ransom,
their bloated bodies
clogging the feed trough.
Too long
they've turned us against each other
as they tear down
our perches
and foul our nest.
In the name of liberty we are given cages
in the name of freedom our wings our clipped
in the name of greed we are denied the necessities of life
I'm tired of chickenshit and platitudes
the she'll be right pecking order of social disdain.
When will we break down this pyramid of want?
When will we be free?
A.J. Ponder
Part of the Circle of Life series
The Circle of Life III (2016)
Warning: Read no further: Go straight to cheer yourself up and visit the lovely folk at the
Tuesday Poem hub. For some reason I felt compelled to write the below to go with the poem, and have not yet found the wherewithal to delete it.
It seems lately that there are signs the world is going crazy, and people turn to find scapegoats down the pecking order. It is easy to blame those who cannot speak up for themselves. (Apparently in Australia that includes over 50% of the population) But while money is tight, surely fiscal responsibility shouldn't mean, "not spending money." It should mean creating a better outcome at less cost. So, given the poor cannot look after themselves, or they would not indeed be poor, then it is someone else's responsibility to help, not in an ad hoc way, but with universal care. To that end surely it is not controversial to expect our government to spend taxes, not on obscene salaries for the rich, or their well connected mates, but...
on schools
on ensuring everyone is living in housing that will keep them (and their communities) healthy
on a health system that is proactive instead of retroactive
on creating a better interface between govt organisations and the people they are supposed to serve
on making the world a better place by protecting our environment and that of the planet in which we all must live.
