Walmart Nation ~ #Poetics @dVersePoets

There used to be a field here,
guess maybe there still is
only now, it's asphalt under fluorescent
rather than meadow green under sunshine.

They march like zombies
toward glowing happy faces
remember the t-shirts
where they had a bullet thru their brain?

I feel that here
as they fall to their knees
in the name of consumption
and falling prices

All walks of life are greeted
from the back woods to suburban centers
all are welcome here
as evidenced in the slack eyed grins

Who stand at attention waiting to greet you
make you feel like you belong
while pushing the button
out of ignorance

forced assimilation
to this grand, plastic Walmart Nation

Through the windshield
I fool myself into thinking I'm protected
young and old
waltz toward the light

there is no outside evidence
of the black magic at play
just the constant hum
of the streetlights

that have replaced the maples and oaks
who were content to stand in silence
ignorant to the threat
false security

A woman drags a screaming child through my eye line
chubby cheeks smeared in snot
and the kid looks no better
guess the plastic must have melted

Now a man
does he not realize
that rubber plant is the last thing his man cave needs
better than the day-glow titty poster, I suppose

ah yes...now the new recruits
young, dumb and full of fun
ready to dance down the aisles
to distract the watchers like me

from the evil at work.
WORK!
Whoops...
I grab my coffee and the steering wheel

one brand name
to offset the ill effects of the other
and I (in my own bubble of ignorance)
hit the road.

We're people watching at Poetics today over at dVerse...and this pic I snapped last night while I sent my daughter into the frey proved the perfect inspiration for my write. And for any who might be interested, there's a free-link up on my 100Thousand Poets For Change page so you too can lend your voice to this amazing world-wide event.