Occupy Sonnets, 21-25 [2011]

contests

the Civil Rights Movement taught us     peter out
though we recognize that every voice is equal
a lack)     these degrading contests must be stopped
there are many     new motivating forces
the mass media were counting reservations
a binary vote is not)     like consensus

in defense of the market     capitalists
(this is democratic process in costume)
destroyed the people's property     suffering
too many pundits     at the essence of it
a clear winner is invisible     (crying
witnessing the predictably brutal response

the message)     we disseminated nothing
never forget that thin arms once crossed in an "x"

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theocrats

future silence cannot be a priority
religious men)     all of us regular folks
"O"     and I just discovered the pulpit
crowd members show approval by raising their hands
facilitators run the meetings     chanting
the crowd repeats everything every speaker says

theocrats)     many of them holding babies
we learned from it     the infamous protest signs
some of these are truly beautiful     (icons
Occupy Dewey Square     is a sacred space
every movement for social change has included
God     they need to go back to what they first were

the leadership marks a calendar of events
it's becoming rapidly apparent     (prayer

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thorns

over dinner     I was going to foreclose
the election reform proposed ignores caution
anybody)     seduced by grey distractions
I'll travel for part-time work     (thorns in my side
I've moved four times since then     corporate piercings
there were grandmothers there     and illiterates

then the market tanked     my cell phone stopped ringing
I survived winter with only a space heater
isn't it about time that we     (lamenters
send work     the time for reform is tomorrow
yelling at the goddamned computer screen     scream
I've been waiting     for the Occupy movement

that's my life     I am the 99%
your help will be very much appreciated

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horses

it seems to us that you have taken     ENOUGH
still     support is growing for the idea
there are 109 ways to help Occupy
way to move)     they call it the Robin Hood tax
the largest banks discourage them from risky moves
they have been hobbled     they are unable to run

and now it is winter     we are occupied
with giving)     the story from last December
greed has destroyed the cord fabric of unity
the result is a quiet creep     (new charges
they didn't have to change     their greedy actions
stunted growth     they stood in pools of their own piss

ridiculous movements seemed apart     (release
police     to ride away on hope-scarred horses

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horns

this is not a social service     no-nonsense
spiritual solidarity with mad folks
across the busy street     car horns are blaring
there must be equity in winning sacrifice
for most people)     mortgages are bundled death
REMEMBER BEING UNIMPRESSED     at all costs

Occupy is no longer in Grand Circus Park
because of police forces     (quick marching bands
(the doorway to industry fraud has opened wide)
the problem has evolved     later and later
there is a direct connection     between us
it is time for us to manifest our hearing

this is not plenty     the gourds may never spill
if it all came tumbling down now     (amendment