Spoken Word

Photo: Untitled, G. Gray Photography, 2015

Priorities

by s.c. alban

There were kids shooting kids on the playground today.

But not more than usual.

And, what can I say

about the two men who whistled at me as I

walked home from

school.

Their howls made my skin crawl.

Their sons will do it tomorrow with

smartphones and post it on YouTube

for trolls

to feed on.

A black man was assaulted last week by

two cops who have forgotten what their job

really means.

Power corrupts powerfully.

And there are several fat men who don’t give a damn

about me,

or my body,

or my choice,

or my voice.

But they sure have a lot to say

with their fists full of dollars

and their mouths full of

steak;

that is farmed in a way that irrevocably

destroys our earth

and poisons our dinners with their GMOs;

corporate CEOs,

controlling the DEOs,

of our nation,

leaving us penniless,

homeless,

more and more, like the oceans, we will be

fishless.

Because, yes,

our waters are drying up;

people are dying up;

killing each other up and

over invisible Gods that are voiced by

more

men.

War and disease;

famine, but please,

tell me again which bathroom I am to use.