Speaking of Evil

Of bullets and poisonous talk.

Prejudice, bigotry, homophobia, hate...
all of it, all such negativity, all such
anti-virtue is like a murder of crows
on a field of freshly fallen snow,
like a glob of grease
on a white wedding dress,
like a jackboot scuff
on new linoleum.
Guns fire, bullets fly
the staccato rat-a-tat-tat
as lead finds it mark, tears
at flesh and life lies bleeding
for a time till death abides
like hearts so stained

because it’s not just guns
nor madmen wielding them...
no, it’s attitudes, beliefs, closed
minds adhering to dogma,
and venom offered free of charge
on Sundays and on other days as well,
the proclamations (fundamental decrees)
that Gays deserved their fate, that there’s
so many “less homos” to breathe their God-
given air.  I wonder, though, how minds
so poisoned synchronize their daily walk,
and manage to chew food with feet
in mouths where evil’s loosed.


27 Lines
Writer’s Cramp
6-20-16