Don’t Stop Believing (A Prose Poem)

The skies turn brown as they call for war
As we plan our Disney Cruise.

The TV advertises anti-depressants
And the pop songs sing of copulation.

We feed our children deep-fried GMOs
And place them in front of screens.

This is all normal
This is all normal.
This is just another day.

As you head out to your side gig
That you need to pay for child care
So you can be their hero
Who gave them a better life than the one you had.

This is the cost of eternal progress
Don’t count the costs
Just listen and repeat
Listen and repeat.

It’s not your job to think
Wait for the experts to tell you what to do.
That’s why they make the big bucks,
Because they’re better than you.

Shush, child,
The grownups are in charge,
The ones with all the biggest toys.

The geniuses and philanthropists
With their reading lists and mansions
They’re here to save the world
From ego and from greed.

They’ve given you freedom
The choice between 500 brands of water
And two old men for president.

The choice between War with Russia
Or war with China
Two for one on Tuesdays.

Just don’t think.
And whatever you do don’t ever doubt
Or the whole perfect system they built
Will come crashing down.