Working For Wal Mart Nation

Where are you sleeping tonight?

Working for Wal Mart Nation
    Trying to scrape on by
  Trapped in a lowly station
    Barely able to survive

 Was a time I had ambitions
    I had my wild dreams
But all of that's all over now
 They were all pipe dreams

   Looking for an America
  Where everybody wins
 No one gets plowed under
  Where anyone can begin

  A government of the dollar
   What we have become
Elected corporate politicians
   Who represent no one

  Suspending Habeas Corpus
     Forcing us into debt
Foreclosing on our mortgages
    Leaving us no assets

 Raping the banking system
    Without an oversight 
   Rigging the regulations
Then scream about gun rights

We're an arsenal for democracy
   Weapons factory systems
Billions made in weapons trade
 So screw the latest victims

 It's just the price of business
  Our expendable little lives
In a world of losers and takers
  The heartless will survive

Working for Wal Mart nation
   I'm nothing but a wheel
Trapped by trade deregulation
  They said would be ideal

Armed by the second Amendment
      Bushmaster in my hand
  Gonna make my own statement
and take back the promised land

Author's Note

Praise and criticism would be much appreciated

Reviews

[quinfinn]

excellent rant...makes me madder than hell, what this country does in the name of democracy, and as for the little people...let them starve and live on the streets while we vote ourselves another pay raise to supplement our millionaire existence with full health benefits to the grave. this country needs a f*****g enema, and we need to start with the very rich....and the corrupt political system. love it when you get me fired up, ricochet!

[Baby Ricochet]

I feel you bro. Thank you quinfinn

[Michael G.]

Well said.

Welcome to Wal-Mart
We'll sell anything cheaper
than mom and pop could.

We drove them under
our the rolling enterprise
to achieve control.

Welcome one and all
where big keeps getting bigger
and small disappears.

[Baby Ricochet]

That's Wal Mart. Like shopping in an Air craft carrier. Thanks for stopping by mr G.

[Astro]

Great that your narrative can cover so many different aspects of western society although, the last bit about being armed with a Bushmaster afforded by the second Amendment, seems a little extreme. I live in Canada, so forgive my Canadian sensibilities, I would have tried to think up a different solution to a world so bleak. (oh and it's 'Habeas Corpus') I get a little dyslexic sometimes too ;)

[Baby Ricochet]

They don't get the press they used to but America is full of ultra right wing para Military groups waiting for someone to screw with them so they can have their own re enactment of the Waco Texas disaster that happened back in the 1990's when ATF (Alcohol Tobacco and Firearms) raided the branch divinians and ended up with 80 odd people, many of them children dead. It's easier to get weapons in America than it is to pay for decent health care so if someone shoots you the hospital bills will bankrupt you. That's fucked up right there. That's what the last stanza's about. Thank you for your review Astro. I'll fix the typo

[Rebecca Buller]

Powerful. This is what poetry is all about. It should open our eyes. It should force us to look past the walls that surround us. It should make us want to take action against those forces that seek to break us down. Thank you for sharing this with us.

[Baby Ricochet]

Thank you for your review Rebecca.

[emmajoy]

Seems to be the same virtually everywhere- every day living going to seed, people losing homes and jobs and any hope for the future. The mighty few are controlling the near-helpless many via political cant, manipulation and next to no morals. I could go on but think it's been better and already said by other reviewers.

This is a more than thought.provoking post, tis a powerful, yet sensitive write - and, gloriously indignant. It's what writing's about.

[Baby Ricochet]

Thank you Emma

[emmajoy]

You're welcome

[Acucena G.]

you are right, well done.

[Baby Ricochet]

Thank you Acucena

[Acucena G.]

you are welcome

[Rita L. Sev]

This is so sadly true - what a country, which is run on greed and the backs , hearts, and souls of the people. This line: "Elected corporate politicians - Who represent no one" really hits home. A kids, we are taught to respect our government, and then we grow up to realize they have no respect for us. Well said!

[Baby Ricochet]

Thank you Rita

[Carrie Manor]

Good expression! The last stanza was my favorite. This poem slightly reminds me of Greenday's American Idiot.

[Baby Ricochet]

I hadn't thought of that and I have that CD. Maybe it sunk into my head on a subliminal level. Thank you for the review Carrie.

[Tate Morgan]

Ah Walmart the nation unto itself.I hear they take out life insurance on their door greeters.And upon looking i see they sell coffins online

[Baby Ricochet]

Ha! Thanks for stopping by Tate

[Tate Morgan]

yep

[Annabelle Lee]

It's just the price of business
Our expendable little lives
In a world of losers and takers
The heartless will survive

Working for Wal Mart nation
I'm nothing but a wheel
Trapped by trade deregulation
They said would be ideal

Armed by the second Amendment
Bushmaster in my hand
Gonna make my own statement
and take back the promised land

A lot of your work emphasizes how insignificant the lives of American citizens have become. Which is very true, it's a tragedy that a whackjob comes in and shoots up the school, but only so long as they can use this tragedy to pressure other citizens into conforming. Meaning that the lives are no more than a statistic, and even if it were treated differently, every day more men, and now women are being sent to fight someone else's wars.... The United states hasn't declared war since 1942, so why are we fighting? Not that I don't appreciate the soldiers, I'm proud of them-you- and what you all did I just don't see why you had to.
Calling us Wal Mart nation was very artistic, although I don't know if you intended it that way, really puts out there how controlled we are by consumerism and want.
That last stanza, however, was so regal and so very Ricochet. We need someone to take it back, Excellent write

[Baby Ricochet]

Wow. That's some review. Thank you Dog

[KeeD]

Strong words brother, it's sad to see what not only America but the world is coming too.
This one left room to reflect.. good stuff BR

[Baby Ricochet]

Thank you Keegan