The weary woman blues

It wasn’t like this in
1972, this gut filled with
anxiety – how do I pay for it?
the way up – forward – out the
door costs ever more –
ever more a lifetime of
indebtedness – can I
make do as a barista oh
college the holy grail of
advancement encloses
those of ordinary means into
a cycle of owing unto death
every generation starts – hopeful
problem solvers all and yet
another problem comes knocking
on America’s door.

And that assumes you live long enough
to get to college as these weapons of
mass destruction are 20 million strong –
makes a woman wonder if that militia
thing covers nuclear weapons or
if some day it will since we all need a bomb –
don’t we – but let’s ban Harper Lee and
Toni Morrison instead since we all know
children who deal with active shooter drills
and the struggle to stay debt free can’t
possibly deal with the truth of
literature – dang! The word really is
more powerful than the gun!

Listen up all my children
you need to know who to blame
the carbon spewing gasmen
name by name by name
the Exxon loving liars who steal
your future now supported by
fifty senators who hold you
hostage with weapons of mass
destruction in your schools
and synagogues your churches
and your grocery stores
they leave you indebted if
you live long enough and
kill your future with
their love of money and
the gun they are digging your
graves all your graves – no
humanity
will not be missed when
sentience goes – no one
to remember left
only grave after grave after
grave

But you need to know
who to blame – yes
you need to know who to blame.

2022