What Rough Beast | Poem for August 14, 2017

Tim J. Nelson
The Rest of Us (a song)

Look away from the fire
Look away from the truth
See the flames, what they inspire
Reminds you of birth

Look away from the truth
Hide in the dark
Avoid your fears
Fear yourself
Become insane

Insanity sold as normality
Profit in profanity
Lies bring consensus
Criminals constructing justice

They swirl in their evil
They celebrate their greed
They mock the drowning
Throw rocks at the frowning

The sun will burn this away
It doesn’t matter what we say
Our lives were just a test
Some served themselves
Some served the rest

 

Tim J. Nelson’s poems have appeared in Poets’ Ink, a Maryland State Poetry & Literary Society broadside; Grub Street; and the online journal, Yes, Poetry. He contributes reviews to PopMatters.com and other publications. His essay “Getting at Truth,” discussing the writing life, appears on the blog of the journal South 85. Tim earned a masters in writing from Towson University. In addition to freelance writing, he teaches college composition in Maryland. For more information, visit timjnelson.jimdo.com.

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