Join the Neopoet online poetry workshop and community to improve as a writer, meet fellow poets, and showcase your work. Sign up, submit your poetry, and get started.

July 4, 2018

Shall we all burn in a seethe of lava
In this season of hatred we have of each other?
I’m shutting my ears to the shouts
Which accuse the other side of corrupted souls,
And all claim the banner of hypocrisy.

The summer brings punishing rays of the sun.
I sit alone on a bench in the shade of leaves
Sweating a mist of tears in the National Mall,
Taking refuge from the velocity of history
Which bring such sinister times.
Before me a spider dances, a master at his craft,
Wrapping his prey in a coffin of silk
Trapped and buried alive
As I am trapped in a web of lies,
Soon to be devoured by the primal loathing
Of our different points of view.

For now there is a serenity of stillness-
The flags droop like hung men
Rotting in the high humidity-
I am horrified by the spider’s cruelty
Oblivious to the seasonal heat;
Soon the storms of autumn will alarm
And tear the webs with howling force!
All will hail with vented voice
To swear their blind allegiances,
As fists wave like hammers
To reshape the soul of the nation;
To the emperor who must stand,
Or to the tyrant who must fall!

Last few words: 
"There is no freedom in a land where fear and hate prevail." Lee Hayes This is a total revision, but the core of the poem is the same.
Editing stage: 

Comments

It is unfortunate that so many politicians and even voters have started to believe that just because a person has different political ideas from oneself they are automatically evil. We are a nation whose very birth was soaked in political differences. Sigh....alas I don't see much improvement in dialogue any time soon, Your poem put this well.......stan

your poem connects well with the current scenario of whims and fancies of the emperor as you have said who admires powerful leaders who happen to be dictators or dictatorial. the latest I heard just now on CNN is that a Senate panel has confirmed today that Russia did help Trump win and the commentators have said all except now two believe this meaning Trump and Putin....
...................................................................

raj (sublime_ocean)

It is hard to remember a time when every morning the first thing most people do is check their phones to be sure the world still has it's head on it's shoulders.
It is inconceivable that all this will not all end badly as it did for Nixon, as the case growing of political corruption, obstruction, money laundering and even treason is march larger than a simple break in of an office (Watergate). McCarthy went down, as did all the would be kings. 45 does seem to have a strange affinity to dictators, "unlike any other president ever, in the whole history of he world.."
But in the meantime, in the unbearable heat spell through out the country, states on fire and name calling everywhere, it might be a good time to take a deep breath and watch the spiders. The nation does not feel good this 4th of July.

Eumolpus
I'd rather learn from one bird how to sing
than teach ten thousand stars how not to dance
ee cummings

author comment

Well expressed Eumolpus
....................................................

raj (sublime_ocean)

on both accounts lovedly. Lol. and it's politics.
~ Geezer.
.

There is value to commenting and critique, tell us how you feel about our work.
This must be the place, 'cause there ain't no place like this place anywhere near this place.

A nice subject for independence day, a look at freedom, as you retreat "in the shade of leaves" to muse on the subject.
it starts powerful, and the last line of the first stanza sets the tone.

"In this season of hatred we have of each other?"

"Here a spider dances, a master at his craft,
Wrapping his pray in a coffin of silk
Trapped and buried alive
As I am trapped in a web of lies," (a very power metaphor)

I am also impressed my your many associations throughout. Case in point:
"How unreal to imagine once we worshipped
Pagan gods, or once we worshipped democracy."

T

The most powerful reaction
of mind on mind
is transference of sight

Really hits home to all unknown parts. Awake to the tenndency to dream to sing a tender song. As the tender lying of the fawn out on the lawm. Words that breath a nostalgic portion in its meaning. You have created a charming presentation to its flow. First off i like the line pattern to this remarkable piece. Words can uplift these are touching that you exhibit. Further, you have given a chance for the reader to breath. Let go of any harm that may come up. Very deep piece you got here. Lastly, you covered all bases very good. Poet Mario William Vitale

Mario Vitale

be a political poem pasted at any point on the subject of any political event anywhere and anytime in history. It's okay.

(c) Neopoet.com. No copyright is claimed by Neopoet to original member content.