Sunday, January 24, 2021

Not An Ode To The Keepers Of The Gate

they bolt the door

and circle the wagons thrice over

all this they say to keep the wolves at bay

and boy, do they speak in code

in every single ode the same refrain

we've got a we've got a world to gain

an ever churning train on the tracks

to keep the gifted back

but Im in a dubious mode and I know better.

I know it isnt the wolves out here disconsolate

in any kind of weather

under the moonlight and freezing.their golden fleece off

the poets of light are being squeezed out or never

invited in to the raging pen at all

of the coterie the coterie with their light refreshments

their need to gain it all and win and win and win

and I wonder how their angels sleep at night, the squeezers

the panel of judges pleasers cause they're all friends or at least

a  curious cadre bent on gaining the whole territory

the keepers of the gates ready at any instant to defend

not even debate

the part of the turf they happened to win oh way back when

what's that hammering I think too restless in my sleep

to bear it anymore:

the forging of crowns and crowns on crowns 

a voice neither here nor there lets me know

they still have much more building to go

and Babel has never looked queasier.

mary angela douglas 24 january 2021

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