They think not, they care not, they speak not

From Washington Times

Old men squinting at the idiot box
greedily slurp drivel spooned into their agape mouths
by obsequious, oily oafs masquerading as messiahs of information
the young glued to the gaudy light of device
salivate salaciously at studs and sirens
or dream of escaping to the utopian West

the rest go about their routine, mundane existence
lulled into a false sense of felicity
they think not, they care not, they speak not

democracy is nothing but a messy mockery
when the downtrodden know not what freedom is
when the poor and the illiterate can be bought for a bottle
when those elected rule like authoritarians
when the government machinery bulldozes all dissent

the rest go about their routine, mundane existence
lulled into a false sense of felicity
they think not, they care not, they speak not

fed on falsehoods and narrow nationalism
blind to joblessness and rising inflation
jingoist barbarians gleefully run amok
history brazenly rewritten to suit the ruling dispensation
the idea of a nation dealt deathly blows everyday

the rest go about their routine, mundane existence
lulled into a false sense of felicity
they think not, they care not, they speak not

and yet a lone voice here and a courageous fist there
is raised against divisive atrocities and despotism
one day other voices will rise in chorus too
the hard fought freedom is not a fanatic’s fiefdom

this voice will stop not, fear not, relent not.

Written for dVerse poetics. Today’s host, Sanaa, has asked us to take inspiration from the beat poets. Read more about it here.