the souring of love
has pickled peace
leaving the acrid taste of war
stinging silent stiff tongues
of life
swelling in closed mouths
of apathy
to rally not for peace
is to scream quietly
the satisfaction
of the status quo
the status quo
always straddling the fence
riding the dominant flow
sitting in the saddle
reins securely wrapped
around the pommel of life
safe and free—caring less
as long as things leave you be
to romp and stomp as you please
indeed life’s owed much
and the dead debt deemed high:
peace and justice are debits—wars pay
and apathy is a prized excised tax