To The Grandiose Shopkeeper

you killed our heart.

you took away the light and the sunshine

and replaced it with gray smoke and ash.

you took away the clean fresh air

and replaced it with face mask and toxic gas.

you took away the open green prairies

and replaced it with ugly pipe and crude.

you took away our sense of security and confidence

and replaced it with fear mongering, isolation and a wall

you took away our democratic press

and gave us red herrings and “fake news”.

you try to silence those of us who dare to speak

by belittling us, ignoring us and threatening us.

but we will not be silenced.

WE WILL BE HEARD.

you took away our respect, our dignity, our self-worth, our place in the world

and you replaced it with instability, insecurity, fear, shame and constant derogatory

quips on ‘twitter’.

you stomp your feet and expect to get your way.

it doesn’t work for toddlers.

why should it work for you?

and when you don’t get your way

you make false promises of

good healthcare FOR ALL,

better education FOR ALL,

jobs FOR ALL,

clean water FOR ALL,

security FOR ALL

in an effort to cajole us

though you nor your cronies

have ever been

HUNGRY

HOMELESS

IMPOVERISHED

SEGRAGATED

BROKEN.

yet you expect us to ‘believe you’.

that poses the question-

“How can so few with so very much effectively govern

so many with so very little?”

you may try to kill our heart

BUT YOU CAN NOT,

WILL NOT

BREAK OUR SPIRIT.

K. Leslie