Poem: Terrible Choices

If you give someone nothing but terrible choices, he will surely make one.


Terrible Choices

I’m told if you give someone
nothing but terrible choices
he will surely make one
and the evidence is piling up
The choice of continued hatreds
or agonizing wars
And yet they say that war
is merely failed diplomacy,
even though the diplomats
too often live in the comfort
of another country

What does that mean?

It means I remember a time
when the world was carved up
by the rich and powerful
And like a sliced thanksgiving bird,
They laced it together for serving
and it’s all begun to fall apart
on the platter, feeding no one
The powerful needed no advice
as to the menu
After all, it was their dinner party
and metaphor will do for the powerless

Can’t make that mistake again

Surely not and so, it’s back to the table
and the hosts have changed a bit
as the wealth and power
dances to slightly different tunes
But some things seem so much the same
Once more these disparate ethnic guests
will have no choice
over who will serve and who will eat
It’s such a bother for the wealthy
laying out the silver and linens
and the glistening crystal of terrible choices
Poetry Collection: Broken Pieces
This poem is included in
Jim Freeman's
poetry collection
BROKEN PIECES
available here in print
or as an e-Book
in your favorite formats.