Seems about right,

this new walking fad comes to light

during the apocalyptic second term

of a cult leader ready to burn

all semblance of normalcy,

of decency, of democracy—

his policy driven by bended knee

to the almighty dollar,

his minions donning loyalty collars,

lapping up his Kool-Aid

praising every tirade,

every military parade,

banishment of any aid,

both foreign and domestic

as they bow and genuflect.

 

You’ll know them by their

orange passion and flair,

their unabashed disdain - 

insane rage - for the sage

value of any initiative,

or presumed derivative,

involving social diversity,

inclusion and equity,

and any sort of empathy.

 

They silence other voices,

take away choices,

arrest and deport,

rewrite history, report

falsities, deny science,

are completely defiant

of research,

disbelieving the experts

in favor of the perverts

of justice and truth

with their sawtooth

smiles and weaponized wiles.

 

They blaspheme and defame,

shame and blame the women

among us, denigrate the more-melanined

among us, belittle the neuro-divergent

among us, arrest the daring outspoken

among us, fire those who dare protest

among us, infiltrate the most sensitive

information about us.

 

Sheep carcasses are strewn

from Wall Street to the White House lawn,

as his followers applaud

the “gets worse before it gets better” lore.

Meanwhile the rich get richer and the poor

get whiplash trying to wrap their heads around

the crumbs tossed to the ground

from the wealthiest of these pockets,

holding onto the promise -- a return to greatness

to antiquatedness, to the adulterated-ness

of a lesser democracy, when liberty wasn’t free

for all of us.

Back to the times and crimes

and political climes

of bleeding women dying in back streets

and strange fruit hanging on southern trees.

 

But stories like these are lambasted,

then categorically blasted

from statue placards

and archival records,

from websites and libraries

naval academies,

elementary, middle and secondary schools

for everyone must follow his rules

or lose funding or worse

in this insanely alternate universe

we find ourselves in –

 

as impossible to comprehend

as me finding time to bend

60 minutes of walk time

at 6 in the morning or 6 at night

in my chaotic scene

of kids and work and chasing dreams.

As impossible to believe

as a nation that would take leave

of its senses to follow its leader/redeemer,

who loves wealth and self, is a schemer

a hyperbolic screamer,

a traitor, manipulator,

a tyrant,

aberrant

idiot, and absolute,

insufferable bore.

 

So Resist this anti-democracy, 

anti-christ-like 

blaspheming orange aberration, 

I challenge you.

Resist him, I beg you.

Resist him – today.