Big Rowan Ackison (greensh) wrote,
Big Rowan Ackison
greensh
  • Mood: contemplative

Poem - Backwards Downhill

The poem “Backwards Downhill” was inspired by a politically based conversation I endured. As a Blue person in a Red state, I have to listen to people talking about the evils of Clinton. I expect my Red neighbors to hate her because of her political leanings. I have to admit I react poorly the general description of “Republican Politician”. This is normality. The conversation then moved to the latest in right-wing conspiracy theories, most of them circling around Clinton being a lying political mobster who assassinates her opponents (and anybody who threatens her). Apparently they don’t read the same “fact checking” pieces I do, but again, to each their own conspiracy Kool-Aid. The conversation hit a low point when Clinton’s appearance was discussed, finally ending with a discussion of how often she has intimate relations with Bill. Clue: both were very negative. I was left wondering, what the heck does this have to do with her being a leader? It was misogyny at its most ugly. Sadly these were people I largely respect, but apparently politics bring out the worse in people.

In my estimation the discussion I heard went backwards and downhill. I’ll admit that my first impression of people is based on external factors. I’m not proud of this. In time I learn more about the person, moving beyond the physical. Gossip about the person would tell me a few things. I would then form my own positive or negative impression of the person’s character based on personal experience. The sequence of events in the conversation I endured was backwards and downhill with discrediting based on association, then gossip, and then physical characteristics. They don’t talk about their favorite (or unfavorite) sports coaches in this way, with salacious speech about appearance and mating suitability. Hence my statement about misogyny.

All-in-all this was a soul numbing, gouge my eyes out, slash my wrists experience. I can only hope that future generations don’t suffer from toxic character judgements of the type I witnessed.


Backwards Downhill

Conversation
flows backwards
first with insight
then with slurs
above the belt
is the start
in darkest evil
is where it stops.

Differences
will occur
when power finds
the ones that hold
this fated world
in their grasp
as angels cry
for souls now lost.

Humanity strives
to be hell bent
even as godly
fully hate
those of difference
marked from them
by tainted thoughts
and warped beliefs.

Tongues salute
matters high
grist for milling
division's yield
to be human
is to disagree
yet something else
will have its fill.

What follows here
matters not
to leader's ease
or follower's choice
when lowest slander
is the means
to attack the one
that you must hate.

Gender defines
those trapped within
as skin color
does the same
justifying
scorn's delight
as smugness rolls
from ego's lips.

In the end
I wonder if
I want to be
part of this circus
the big top round
with hate relished
by those who speak
backwards downhill.

© 2016, Sean Green. All Rights Reserved, 20160810.
Tags: judgement, misogyny, poem, politics
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