Poem: "For the Benefit of the People"

[ysabetwordsmith]

This poem came out of the May 5, 2020 Poetry Fishbowl. It was inspired by prompts from rix_scaedu and Anthony Barrette. It also fills the "Law" square in my 5-1-20 card for the Sumerian Me Bingo fest. This poem has been sponsored by Anthony and Shirley Barrette.


"For the Benefit of the People"


When the country is run
by someone who believes
in sexism and racism and
bigotry of all flavors, then
alternatives must begin to
come out of the woodwork.

Government is a trust, and
the officers of the government
are trustees. Both the trust
and the trustees are created
for the benefit of the people.

So the trustees who rise
to the challenge are those
who know what it means
to be overlooked.

The candidates are
the last ones standing
after everyone else has
given up and quit.

There is the Latina
who stayed when
all the others left.

There is the gay man
who became the first
to see the problem.

Then there is the poor,
black, lesbian in a wheelchair
who is the only one who can
see how it all hangs together.

They are the ones who
take the Law in trust
and keep it safe for
We The People.

* * *

Notes:

"Government is a trust, and the officers of the government are trustees. And both the trust and the trustees are created for the benefit of the people."
-- Henry Clay

Comments

[technoshaman]

I wish it worked that well. Maybe soon.

Well ...

[ysabetwordsmith]

That's what is happening now. The one good thing the Great Orange Garbage Fire has done is inspire large numbers of women, people of color, and other disadvantaged folks to run for office -- and some of them are winning, more than in the past. It's not enough, yet, but statistically speaking it is where the demographics are going.

Re: Well ...

[technoshaman]

It needs to go a helluva lot faster than this, or the planet will burn down before we sane-itize enough government to live...

Re: Well ...

[ysabetwordsmith]

Alas, we're already out of the time for the planet not to burn down. The question now is how MUCH of it will burn down. In this regard, more representation from disadvantaged groups is likely to help, as their people will suffer the most.