Black Friday
Black Friday
by shawn misener
We’re done being thankful
My ego is barking from a barn
my selfishness is tearing a hole in my eyelids
my veins are splayed lines of bleeding consumers
The turkey’s in my pocket
waiting with the patience of the dead
for the gravy of massive deals
As the first snow drops in silence
and disappears before touching the asphalt
we don’t take notice
our eyes locked on fluorescent
Well-crafted sir! I think there’s something in this piece that speaks to us all. That first line just really grabs you and is so very direct in spelling out the situation/mood for rest of poem. Rest of poem, in contrast, is very figuative and dramatically expressive yet still anchored to that first line. There is a price in embracing capitalism, it would seem here! lol. Capitalism works from a certain point of view but it has repercussions on a national identity. This economic monolith permeates such vast reaches of our culture including (i was pondering this the other day), our ‘Christian’ churches. So much can be taken from the Bible to validate hard work etc. But it seems not much attention is given, in most churches, to greed, corruption, and the whole ‘money is the root of all evil’ which are the natural directions of Capitalism [*especially laissez-faire Capitalism]. Thus, our American churches, that are supposed to be a true cultural-spiritual well-spring, have not only become mere slaves working as components of Capitalism, but as a result become the whore of the Polit too downplaying the greater message of Jesus’s ascetisism and Socialism (feed the hungry, clothe the poor, take care of the elderly). Churches have become political interest groups intent on filling the collection plate with a Christianity of convenience where ‘practitioners’ may feel content in condeming gays and porn yet aside from that fragrant ‘boiling down’ are greatly incomplete in their worship. What a way to sleep at night. So many Christians will support an unnecessary and misconceived war in Iraq and Afganistan and the collective oiling of the military industrial complex which is responsible for the destruction of so many lives (most importantly our own soliders who by the way continue to be neglected in regards to health care and post-traumatic stress disorder upon completing a tour), and yet these same ‘Christians’ will not put their stamp of approval on universal health care [their Christian values stop abruptly when it reaches into their pocketbook in a lot of cases]. I’m not arguing for the replanting of Socialism over Capitalism in America, but merely pointing out some problems and inconsistencies brought up by the ugly face of an unchecked Capitalism. We already know what an unregulated Capitalism will do–it’s overspeculation and abuse lead to the Great Depression, so why would we embrace that same school of thought in the form of Trickle-down economics and laissez faire Bush-style? Notice all the bail-outs we had to embrace during and after this past administration? But let me also say that the liberal Democrats are also going in the wrong direction in pursuing universal health care at this particular juncture at the crossroads of American financial discipline. With a war still going on and more importantly a trillion dollar deficit, should we really bite off more than we can chew right now? Regretfully no. We should stop the wars immediately, downsize the military, reduce the deficit, and then maybe down the long and winding road pursue something as noble and truly Christian as universal health care. These are only a few thoughts on Capitalism and it threat to America. It can be a good and vital thing, though still a neccessary evil, if it is checked moderately but not with the ‘heavy hand’ where govt. has its hands on everything, so to speak. There is a lot of truth in the pursuit of the middle road. Thx Misener for your poem and its social/economic/political relevancy!
i love it when a three stanza poem evokes a six page response, Quasi.
The first line is superb. The rest is great too, but that first line is really extraordinary.
I really like this a lot. i wrote derisively about Black Friday at my blog; if I had seen this poem before I would have just shared it instead. It’s perfect.