Human Resources: The Grimsby Report ~ Wednesday, October 9, 2024

The unsayable turns against the tide
how if I were blind to my own actions
each day, if I act the martyr to grief

unless I accept and therefore abide
not in sympathy, caught up in a role
sucker to succor, my own distractions
argue not to strengths but to seek relief
yellow zinnia, I lack all courage
as the unemployed drink beer on the dole
bile, irritable, angry, vexed at heart
lingers complacent, satisfied and smug
each day, I am blind to smell my own fart

turn against others, lash out, pull the rug
underneath us all, distress in storage
reside in trauma, cheetah in a cage
nocturnal raccoons free to sniff and roam
suffer the children as adults little

as the town crier whose opinions rage
grate the ears of maize in a cornfield maze
as if words could burn waves of white sea foam
if I am privileged, am I so brittle
not to withstand hate, I wander, a clue
stirs up the cauldron, the pot to amaze
traumatized infants, shaken, nothing stirs

the newscaster more, a son of the law
how daddy was hurt sounds as a gear whirs
each day, my body hurts under the claw

take a dumb, black cat, pouncer, no one knew
if elder statesmen, entitled and free
decide other's fate, to live in a shoe
each day, I pray that I'm not you, agree

Red Line ~ Sunday, October 6, 2024

More than poverty, Gertie saw no hope
observe the people in order to help
reach out as you can to assist those lost
experience shows lives destroyed by dope

thanatos is change itself more than death
how we look away while mental health
advocates advise no matter the cost
not to directly intervene but ask

provided the harm done from years on meth
opens the back door to offer a hand
victims of hateful politics resist
every chance to change while each grain of sand
reveals orange peals makes trauma desist
trauma and distress both wear the black mask
yet, Gertie wants more as she has no fear

Gertie cooks dinner in a small kitchen
empty of workers other than herself
resolved to assist to make plainly clear
time returns each day to check in and see
if people accept the past as a den
engaged with vipers like books on a shelf

see what attracts you to make things better
avenues with false opportunity
wind the roads to catch you and yours off guard

nothing but the trees reach toward the sun
opportunity shifts as work is hard

hard as mining rocks for diamonds for fun
opportunity knocks in a sweater
poverty hopes pain without gain is done
empty promises success is hard-won

La Mauvaise Foi ~ Saturday, October 5, 2024

This is the phenomenal world
here, everything changes
if you blink, it might disappear
so, fasten your seat belt

if you look around, this may be your life
still the camera may pan elsewhere

this world happens so fast
have it your way if you are bored
each moment flashes like a bulb

pretend you understand
however everyone knows you do not
everyone knows because nobody knows
no one understands why we are alive
or they pretend to know while they are blind
most people lose their way from this blindness
even with perfect vision they can't see
no one can read the signs, or the red flags
as for those in authority, they lie
lies are at the root of all the blindness

welcome to this, the phenomenal world
obey the rules or find yourself locked up
running changes everything, if you run
little else makes a difference, in the end
decide how to act, choose your course, and go!