Poetry

Karla Cote photo

By

Howard Debs

The New Tyranny

O the Chimneys

spewing smoke

from the refuse

unaccounted in this

Night, awaiting another

dawn’s early light

The Butterfly a

fleeing witness to

The Roll Call, including

The Survivor, willing

To Stand in the Shadow,

not wanting to Leave Us.

On paper, thin like

The Shawl wrapped

around her, Written

in Pencil, the words

resembling a Death Fugue:

“Take these wretched

huddled masses yearning

to be free commend them

tempest-tossed, into a

cauldron of hate

before the golden door!”

Author’s Note: The executive order purporting to do the right thing regarding the families and children coming to the U.S. from elsewhere in search of betterment is yet but another subterfuge produced to obscure the real purpose behind all of this. The best I can do is to invoke the writing about another dark time in history in hopes to evoke an awakened sense of similitude. https://youtu.be/PalI3omo9n8

Howard Debs

Howard Richard Debs is a recipient of the 28th Annual 2015 Anna Davidson Rosenberg Poetry Awards. His work appears internationally in numerous publications; his book Gallery: A Collection of Pictures and Words, is a 2017 Best Book Awards recipient. He is listed in the Directory of Poets & Writers.