REQUIEM FOR SURVIVAL

Tourmanted by the sordid tears

of an insidious era that cares

about none,

fighting my lonesome fear in times

of assorted quagmire

& disheartening stories

of broken bones

& restricted freedom

of speech,

of movement,

of association...

I foresaw pieces of my hard-earned

hope hanging sleepily atop the tree

of survival.

Here, survival has a fixed

price attached to its neck.

Here, an atom of survival is as

important

as a precious stone reserved for

the highest bidders

& their associates.

O, let thou not leave life:

live life!