A Radical Poem

Let Us Rant

You invade our private discourse
with warrantless warrantless surveillance.

You detain our friends in Oaxaca
with no charge nor trail.

You own so much, it grows out of proportion
with less left for more of us.

You coopt our culture of music, dress, verse
with profits from selling it back to us.

Your national candidate wins every election
with a two-party system you've captured.

You own our friends in police uniforms
with payment of their salaries and benefits.

You create Hippocrates of our medical professionals
with a middleman built into your health system.

You're on the inside and in the know
with your access and privilages.

You create academic studies to persuade
with access to university wings of your name.

You investigate great crimes
with hand-picked friends who will not tell.

You dominate the mass discourse
with licenses we let you have.

You ride great corporate stallions
with charters we let you have.

You have great power
with the consent that we give.

You have such a good thing going
with a balance so clever.

You should study revolution
with means to dampen fires of resentment.

You should let us rant
with hours of artful diversion.