Speak Truth, Stand Tall

With callous and sadistic pleasure
The tiny-handed king will savour
The chaos, the hating
The dog-whistle baiting
The cruelty rendered
And the weak who surrender—

Especially them.

Abandoning principle and self-respect
They’ll kiss ring, kiss ass, and genuflect
Straight-faced, they’ll walk back criticism
Shake heads, deny, and eat some shitism.
Pundits in media will denounce and proclaim
The tragedy, the horror, the pitiable shame
Of edicts, breached treaties, and raids in Chicago
While bosses tee off at Mar-a-Lago

Made-up truths and policies dumb
Everything a zero-sum.
What best to do, midst lies and schlock?
Resist, speak truth—or tug forelock?

Inspired by So, What Do We Do Then? Image: Ron Berg’s Innocent 2.0, which is inspired by artist Francis Bacon’s reinterpretation of Velázquez’s Innocent X.