Defiant Chameleons We
by Odin Roark

Are we mere weapons of indifference,
Unconsciously motivating weaponry of hate?

Might we be but playacting children
With raised arms above our heads,
Or perhaps adolescent miscreants whose weapons
Remain pointed at the children of
Raised arms above their heads,
As adult boots-on-the-ground
And futuristic drones on high taking aim
Piloted by history’s eye-for-an-eye fixation?

Most probably, we are TV watchers with lowered gaze,
Unable to fathom the depravity of bestial behavior,
Staring at weapons held steady on humanity,
Whose limbs are weakening from holding
High their innocent arms,
Trembling with anticipated moments of terror’s end,
A silence that threatens to be soon shattered
By the pandemic villains whose fingers also tire
Of holding back paradise,
Hesitant of the dead man’s switch.

And all the while we are but the observers…

As video journalists capture the delayed sadness,
Paid to create more watching,
To provide us with more comfortable wallowing
In sanctimonious superiority,
As we gluttonously pound down our buttered popcorn
And stiff pulls on the flask,
Hiding beneath our artificial superiority.

Oh the duplicity…

CNN or twitter feed,
Fox exploitation or
BBC’s stiff upper lip,
There dwells but manipulated truth,
Supporting agendas of power,
Citadels of fear-structured-walls,
Providing sponsorship payment to remain credible.

We change channels
As rating points drive a distorted message,
Contorting our already worn faces toward
The melt-away fantasy of Kimmel, Fallon and Meyers.
After all
They take away the pain,
They make us feel safe right?


Early morning reports, however…

Sear our brains with
Middle East casualties,
Ukraine defense failures,
Africa’s latest tribal insanity,
And of course,
Our own beloved United States,
With Washington’s childish stirring up
Of political hatred,
Wanting oh so vigorously
To be the baddest bully on the block,
Smelling,
Tasting,
Feeling the re-election dollars pouring in.

Do we need to wake up?

Are we deluding ourselves?

Are we not much different from the other side of the world?

The them of us?

Defiant chameleons we.