doin the numbers

1.
no dignity in labor in twenty-nineteen
exhausted bodies drag themselves through traffic
for a pittance piecing together meagre sustenance
from 2 or 3 jobs with no benefits
the kids helpin out squweegeeing car windows
for crissake
and police dont allow such obstruction
who use tear gas and tasers on small bodies
resistance gets you 20 to life
in this cruel land of plenty for the few

2.
what is it in a picture that can turn the tide?
father with 2 year old face down in filthy muck
has more power than maybe 4 million dead
in meaningless wars and the ruin of ancient cities
looted by avid creatures in camouflage
one digital capture = $4 billion
to camp commandants
who make bank with our broken hearts
another small body
ca-ching ca-ching

3.
who is there doesnt want to be rescued
from these rotten bloody times?
we all want rescue
and there aint no rescue out there
only you and me and us and we
so what does that mean?
we dont figure this shit out fast
we can all fugeddaboudit
we want to be rescued now
cause its getting so hard and theres only
ourselves to transform this perishing hell
into a reasonable placenta.     

vbrill san francisco 2019