30 Poems in 30 Days

30 Poems in 30 Days
NaPoWriMo
A Project for National Poetry Writing Month

Thursday, April 6, 2017

Day 6- Inspired by Stevens's 13 Ways


Umpteen Ways of Fucking Up a Country (A Short List)

Tell the people they are the best, the greatest, the free

Tell the people to get a job

Tell the people that to be poor and brown
and to walk across an imaginary line
to get a job is a crime

Tell the people that to be brown and/or queer and/or trans
is a crime

Teach the people one language
and one language only and
say it is the best

Tell the people there is a pill for everything

Tell the people who are sick
that no one fucking cares

Tell the people to go shopping

Have the people pull tons of carbon
from the earth, then burn it or
spill it upon the waters

Tell the people anyone can be president some day

Tell the people you have a plan

Tell the people to be afraid

Tell the people you are keeping them safe
on this side of the wall