Sunday morning paper screams with front page news
last night the darkness staked her claim, another man in blue
now there is one less out there, protecting me and you
if we keep letting bad guys win, what are we gonna do
yet another bank robbery-but that's not how it ends
had to shoot the tellers belly, six months pregnant with twins
if there is a god, surely, they will answer for their sins
but someone has to figure out what we'll do 'til then
across the street there is a house always filled with kids
where a sexual predator tried so hard to keep his secrets hid
but dirty laundry always airs, and someone flipped his lid
all the hellish hurts he heaped can never be undid
my best friends son is still away, fighting in Iraq
hopefully he will make it home before he gets attacked
but reality is fear of knowing, he might not make it back
too hard to keep a sunny outlook while everything fades to black
take a ride through the ghetto, I bet you'd be surprised
five year olds roam the streets completely unsupervised
between drug lords and gang wars, we are completely terrorized
while the government keeps feeding us all their half truth lies
devastation is trying to warn us, all around the world
mother nature is obviously angry, catastrophes unfurled
yet we walk around ignoring all the fast balls she has hurled
we need to make a change real fast, show her we deserve
we got a choice, yes we do, Hillary, Obama, McCain
in my eyes it's different people, but the results are all the same
if we really want to make a difference, we've gotta change the game
if we sit back and keep doing nothing, we are the only ones to blame
I don't have all of the answers, but I can see what's going on
and somewhere along our journey, well, something just went wrong
we have to find a way to fix things, before everything is gone
we have to get the power back, standing united, we are strong.....
Author notes
Prompt- societal issues
Sgt. Stephen Liczbinski was slain this weekend, days before his 40th birthday, he was a married father of three. One of the killers actually worked in the same office as me, handling highly confidental personal information, i.e. many different ss#'s. He was fired about 3 weeks ago, but was a felon, none the less. Liczbinski is the 3rd cop killed in 2 years here in philly, it seems to be only getting worse. This is what prompted me to write this, and all the other headlines just seeped in.
In a list
A contest entry
- Societal Issues by AliceinPoetryLand.
2800 points, ended May 10, 2008, 14 entries
Bronze trophy winner
• next poem in this contest, remove from contest - Skillfully Indomitable #2 by Rajia.
1200 points, ended January 7, 14 entries
• next poem in this contest, remove from contest - Cut to the face by Sacred Geometry.
400 points, ended February 26, 20 entries
• next poem in this contest, remove from contest
Comments
1 - 14 of 14
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Wow this is excellent, at first i was slightly confused as to who you were trying to sort of blame...but by the end it is clear that you have a realistic understanding of our present society...the last 3 stanzas are amazing...they just tie together how corrupt this society actually is so well. I particularly like the lines "we got a choice, yes we do, Hillary, Obama, McCain
in my eyes it's different people, but the results are all the same" just shows...how they will never really let a person who could make real, qualitative changes in power. I also like "I don't have all of the answers, but I can see what's going on
and somewhere along our journey, well, something just went wrong" ..its modest, people can relate...and it brings in the truth that this is not the way it is meant to be, it is only recently (last few centurys) that human civilasation has begun to spiral downward in it's development despite the scientific and industrial leaps we have made.
Rhyme does seem slightly forced though i have to agree...but it did not matter to me because i was more interested in the content and messages behind it
weldone
pleasure to read
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A very powerful write!
I really liked it from top to bottom overall. Some of the rhyme was forced but a good write.
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Clear message and images. Nice rhymes, very well done. I like it.
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well written poem here heavy with the gravity of truth, and so very relevant. thank you for this piece and congrats on the bronze cup. much deserved. -silverfish
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An excellent write indeed.You have filled this pice with so much truth and given us sop much to think about, although I think many people think as you do.
I would have liked to see some fine tuning on this, with maybe some stanzas and punctuation.
The rhyme and flow were good and you have written an great piece.
Thank you for your entry.
Gaylene
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Thank you so much for the bronze, I am surprised and honored.
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Wow
I'm in love with this poem. You wrote it so well and it's so powerful and intense. Great job. You've touched many of society's problems here and really brought to light just how ridiculous they are. We need change. You're right. x x
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Wow. i LOVE the rhyme and the words because they are so effective and powerful. It really made me think about the world today and how much its changed over the years. We are all treating the world like its a toxic waste dump for filthy wars and horrible things. This is a great piece yet again by my favorite poet
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wow perfect wording, everything that it says is true, the show actually reminded me of CSI, and Law and order but thats just me. Good poem all around
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WOW
You really know how to write, this really is an amazing write. You did so well at presenting such a difficult topic to present. You really have a great mind for writing, keep up the good work!
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I don't think I've read anything like this before so this is a first for me and it's so well put and deep, it's a magnificent write, filled with awareness of reality.
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Your Poem Sounds Like It Comes Streight From The Eyes of Someone Who Is More Educated Then The "General Public" Who Normaly Turn A Blind Eye To Things Such As These.
Great Write. =D
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intense
Your poem is strong and it sounds like it came from the heart. The situation you are in right now sounds horrible and despicable, and you portray that well. The title of your piece helps establish the sense of current dissaray that is prevalent throughout the rest of the poem.
have you ever watched The Wire? Its an HBO series based on homicide cops and detectives who work in the streets of Baltimore. Every cop who works in the streets and then watches the show says that the show is extremely powerful and accurate, probably because the writers of the show were an ex-cop and a journalist who got to see gang life of the street first-hand. When I read your poem I was immediatly reminded of the show, because even though I am thankfully living in a different world than that of gang violence and drug lords, the poem connected through to me because of the show.
Great poem overall.
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