Citizen

A Poem by Prometheus

About how our individuality and free thought is often beaten out of us.

I.

His voice lives on against his will
In Harlem. It’s still
Drawing itself naked, breathing
Like a wound without a
Bandage. WAKE UP, SIR, it
Shouts in a public space, like
Bullets from a magazine.

(wake up)

II.

He always said,
School is where you learn
Obedience.

Obey deadlines
Obey rules
Obey professors,
Regardless of who’s right
And who’s a detriment.

Society’s a liar.

III.

Now,

Giant feet beat
Earthquakes from the
Ground. He hates the
Sound: so collective;
Uniform. A rhythm
He would interrupt

If he could bring himself to break it.

IV.

Years later:

Nine to five to pay the bills,
Kids with iron wills who
Fear him.

“Listen to your father
Listen to your teachers
Keep close, keep closed.”

His wife stays at home.

V.

He takes the long way home from work
Because he doesn’t want to know
That it’s still there.

It was the saying he got caught for,
The only one they got him for.

And it screams
It screams
It screams.

WAKE UP, SIR.

© 2010 Prometheus

Author's Note

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Featured Review

NoneOfYourBusiness akaK..

and this~ from birth to the grave is how they coax us to forget that we are human beings~ they plug us in from the get go~ societal rules on top of societal rules dictating each breath we take and how we are to take them~ but there will always be the natural human beings who remember everything before the fall of the human consciousness and the devastation of human conscience~
raw and served straight up as it walks it~ your poem here~ as well as all the others paint a vivid skyline encouraging free will and thoughtful concrete thinking~

Posted 14 Years Ago

1 of 1 people found this review constructive.

Reviews

Theo

This is very interesting, I like it a lot. The sections create the illusion that the story is much larger, and it probably is. This is a poem that set's itself apart from the rest of the pack. Keep up the good work.