border call

working at a juice factory,
terrorized by air-conditioned SUVs
and broken ballistic missile treaties
Marx never seemed so right
not in his entire life

the proletariat are distracted
our leaders are insane
and all of human endeavor
is sliding slimy drained
away away

Marx never wrote so right
and now is not the same
factories run themselves
automated product plain
and internet connected
our eyes twine

it's time
it's time

or will we die?

a species unevolved
never learning love?

an offworld textbook case
of science outstripping soul
of enlightenment era governments
among technology out of control?

we conduct our wars
with precision and death
waiting for the order
waiting for the breath
which will kill

old & young, healthy & ill

buttons we don't like
to think of
in rooms we've never seen
waiting to strike it all down
waiting to burn it
a radioactive dream of our brilliance
our incompetence

leave it to the scientists
to save us all
leave it to the governments
to lead our fall

keep slogging on
you broken down shade
when the gas runs out
the choice will be made

live
or stay the same
die
or change