
“Crooked Politicians” by R.L. Alexander
legislate keys
to secret back doors
framed and fit
to the slouch
of your arrogance
cut off the
citizen rations
of vinegar wine
and stale bread
meager leavings
from those fed
too well at your
sumptuous sideboards
hide in plain sight
among statues
where duty
can’t locate you
crank up the
partisan static
in microphones
mimicking empathy
tell us you love us
then piss in our pockets
and shit on our shoes
to remind us just
how much we matter
(originally posted October 2013)