the middle path in poetry

revolution or Revelation
they’ve trained you to love
that apocalyptic taste sensation
because your addiction to that
elating conflating intoxication
is paradoxically their best tool
for keeping you put in your place

if you’re wasting your works by
fomenting times of trial and trying
or they trick you into flat-out dying
or if you just lounge around the house
awaiting an archangel or Che Guevara’s
assault on your own home community with
a smug self-satisfied look on your face

your sweet dreams of
final conflagration
have you neutralized
if you can’t have that
why would you even try
by your own petard
hoisted so high

Revelation or revolution
your hubris a perfect solution
making you defeat yourself
but don’t give them the help