locked in confliction

It was and is a fault
in our opinions offered, brains shut
and mouths shot off, let hang, and snapped
in half with sudden grins, hands spread
apologetically

like tofu butter on wry toast,
burnt two to too many times almost
and plated, served up and scarfed down,

then,

finally, after a pregnant pause for digestion,
regurgitated verbatim for belated analysis,
with a concentrated frown
and a marathon chug of orange juice
to stall pronunciation of the verdict.

It sucks.

We can't justify, don't know how to rationalize,
recognize whose rights govern and therefore
must prevail and why
in a legitimate conflict of competing
compelling and necessary goods,
or tell right from wrong where to get off
and stick it up their collective subjective
value judgment so we can go back
to taking the rest of the day off
from our prude pride parade obligations

and revert to our natural state of complacency,

secure in the security of our furtive orgies
of bashful pattycake with the neighbors,
none of whom admit to having a race,
let alone running one.

How did we come this low so far?

I use the "courtesy we" by common,
condescending convention here,
the vulgar magnaminity of butting one's in
with underdesirables as a graciously
ostentasteful display of humility
in philosophical union with human nature,
unappreciated as always.

How did we grow so aggressively,
ambitiously, ignorant, bigoted
and provincial?

Who's asking?

Who guarantees the questions are honest?

Who demands the answers are true? CUI BONO?

Who benefits?

The Edge? Adam Clayton? The other one? Do you dare
believe that you, too can benefit?

You'd better not.

You don't stand a chance.

Not in a world where legitimate power flows
from the will of the people who don't know you well
or like you much. Barricade yourself

in your steadfast homestead, sovereign and mighty
in the strength of your loving arms,
instead: implacable,
courageous,
and cultivating a certain serene and virile
indifference, just as you always tend
to have said. They will win,

but this is not the end.