for what it's worth
the more money
you have the more
the market gives you
what you want
so when you call
for a subjection
of anything to market forces
you’re really saying let me -- or if not me
then that guy with all the money
who looks more like me
than how i’d imagine the average
of everyone else on the planet looks --
let me or us let us
discipline the crowd
to behave according
to our values
so that when we look out across that crowd
we’ll see nothing but our own faces
not as we know them
but as they’d look
to someone who adores us
5 Comments:
no cost too dear
no sacrifice too supreme
neither knowing nor caring
let me or us let us
continue to feed our need
You inspire me, Jay!
Thanks, Edison! I've found your philsophically-oriented writings on Merely Popular inspiring - I hope you continue to post there!
Well, on re-read, I think I failed to reach the level of your poetry, I found yours so compelling, though I had to try. Re: Merely Popular, I've been reading so much lately that I haven't taken the time to post, but finally did last night. Hope you like it!
Very nice poem. When I went to Peru I was afraid everyone would think I was arrogant because I am so obviously American. When I arrived in Ayacucho it became clear that the Peruvians didn't think of US foreign policy or economic meddling as arrogant, rather they found it to be stupid and simple minded or sadly misguided. They were confused and frustrated at the preposterousness of it all where I had expected them to be insulted by my own percieved arrogance. Upon reflection I realized that is a very arrogant thing to think that everyone else will percieve your mistakes as arrogance as opposed to the tragically ordinary poor judgment that they really are. Now, I have certainly put a happy face on the nation's global legacy by referring to it as "poor judgment" instead of "ignorance and apathy" or "narrow minded greed and corruption," but regardless the point still stands: Americans imagine the oriental masses staring at our ivory tower with a mix of fear and awe and desire, when the truth more approximates a mix of fear and confusion and disappointment. I am arrogant; that is just the least of my problems. Again, I enjoyed the poem. I think you might enjoy the music of Mike Gibbons--he plays in the Bay Area from time to time.
Thanks very much for your comments, Drew. I think that sometimes there's an internal relationship between arrogance and shortsightedness -- it takes an amazing amount of arrogance to refuse to believe that you're stepping on the toes of everyone you encounter, no matter how many times everyone you encounter tries to alert you to this fact. But it is a relief to hear that other parts of the world might be generous enough to give me the benefit of the doubt when considering whether or not I embody my country's arrogant toe-stepping!
I'll definitely keep an eye/ear out for Mike Gibbons - many thanks for the suggestion.
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