Border Patrol ~ Poetics

Who decides who stays and who goes?

Manipulated… we waste our days doing as we are instructed.
Trained since Sunday school
to respect these figures of authority
more than we respect our selves.

Freedom is tangible
existing well beyond the confines of our mind
in secret meadows and hidden dales
where the air we breathe

does not numb our ability to think
to question the ways of the suit and tie
the badge and gun
the amount of dollars their allegiance earns.

Systemized and categorized according
to the idea of the great spenders
enforcing restriction as debt rises
and like the lambs we are

we walk willingly to the slaughter
as the need for more blood, more sacrifice
demands we suffer
so that they do not.

Banging heads against the wall
the bruises become our own badges.
Signs that WE are the deserters
in this war against the masses.

Dare we cross the lines
That they have placed within our minds?
Dare we take a stand
At the borders of unknown lands?

Where people are free to live together
In harmony and respect for another
Without the poison that has warped our views
And makes us able to disrespect our brother…

Run…run now! The fence is only as high as we believe it to be...

Claudia has brought us to the border today for Poetics over at dVersePoets.  Drop in and share your own words on how such a prompt inspires your pen.  Doors swing open at 3pm EST, as does our welcome!

An open call to tweeters! The Shorty Awards call for nominations ends on February 17th.  I am presently sitting (and no doubt slipping) in position 20 of the author category.  No win is expected or anticipated, but in our efforts to have poetry recognized as an official category, every nomination is beyond appreciated.  Nominate me here. And your dVersePoets Pub is sitting in the 6th spot in the art category...they really could take this home, if you nominate them here ! We need your support to make this happen! Much PoetLove! ~N