I prayed as a child to God and my country
But my village stank of wet coal and rank fat
Rivers and mountains don’t wish to get owned
And God never heard my father’s screams
Father’s fall made me a son of the nation
I lived and breathed to serve the people
But the people serve themselves
Dream of love and lust to hate
Leaders fine when they feel safe
I slaved to make them rich and happy
Yet the rich are never happy
Only the happy ever rich
The poor angry, resentful, suspicious
Proud in their pain
Barely a hand got raised in thanks
Nature understands
What lasts wins
My daddy lost
I never will
I build towers where they live as ants
Once on ground glance up like dogs
Whimper, whine, and growl
Moan with joy when I scratch their necks
When they jump in your lap some playfulness
Even mischief
May prove acceptable
Just not too much
If they fight I allow metered breaths
One thousand, ten thousand, never more
Let them count each one till the end
Sometimes you must make the light stop
People hate the dark
When I command they have to, want to
Circle and jump and wag their tails
They finally realize who they are
Know precisely what I am
Soon I direct their next success
They remain my burden; only I see
They’re hardly worth the air I breathe