Angel of Propaganda

this poem appeared first in the "Poets Against The War" in 2003 and was republished by Happy Anarchy Books in "bookshape - from the Chaos Journals" ©2003 by mysfit--(as always, the spacing is a bit sparse as bloggy hates spacing)


Angel of Propaganda

Opening her eyes to the star-shaped Sky
she adjusts her wings of Justice,
puts on her crown of Righteousness,
grasps her staff of Freedom,
and POOF!
God Bless America, Dear

she was dreaming western dreams
of manifest destiny
and behind the guise of Indignation
she responds by carving flags
before prophets, pleading:
“The End is near!
Don’t be the End!” they proclaim
but overhead, the world holds its breath

and i don’t know if i should
duck—-hide my face from
4th of July shoot-outs and
Did you know she was
sleeping in the gutter—-Magnificence

i wish i had enough money to decide the fate of millions
i’d tell them to eat
cheerios for breakfast
and democracy for lunch,
breathe dictators to sand
and take up verbal arms against...
Hypocrisy of course
watching like sacred whitewash
through sheltered Homeland pews

and they worship strange gods
you say
and they fight religious battles
behind our backs
like eyes-closed Relations of
this-wouldn’t-happen
if you’d only Listened

i wish i had the money to decide Fate
during Riots fought for Movements
she waves her hand to
other countries, well-wished
she flaps her Wings to
create enough wind to
wash the grime off city streets,
making the buildings
Gleam Holy
but through the destruction
i want to see hope

not this