Putrefaction 

of late
I’ve had this thought
that this country
has gone backwards
4 or 5 decades
and that all the social advancement
the good feeling of
person toward
person
has been washed
away

and replaced by the same
old
bigotries.

we have
more than ever
the selfish wants of power
the disregard for the
weak
the old
the impoverished
the
helpless.

we are replacing want with
war
salvation with
slavery.
we have wasted the
gains
we have become
rapidly
less.

we have our Bomb
it is our fear
our damnation
and our
shame.

now
something so sad
has hold of us
that
the breath
leaves
and we can’t even
cry.

Charles Bukowski