Graduation

Graduation

And so it came to pass

Times were grim, grimey,

evil happily at play

We told ourselves

thus has it ever been

cancerous slime feeding

on starving misery,

beating, drawing the blood

from our calluses

with rusty spiked sticks

"Dance for us

Such beautiful rigor

Learn to please like poppety

puppets

we shelve or play with

willfully, we the special

chosen wunderkind of wealth"

Dancing, jerky minstrel clowns

dressed to allure Poppa's friends

taught by whip to angle

through our paces

until contorted organs

breathe no more

The rituals of sacrifice

bring no balm, no water

Manna, gathered by shackled slaves

packaged and sold

to the highest bidder

Empty child must suckle

on hypnotic commands

But it came to pass --

not to become eternity

Lessons to be learned, surpassed

as, class by class

we commence

beyond class