the second wave approaches in poetry

consumption masked as purpose
hair-dyes and sit-down meals
costumed as a sort of freedom
these are the American values
power wants you buying into
“give me liberty or give me death”
becomes a “why not both” in grim
bloodiness of economic calculus
spending instead of mending
dealing instead of healing
lying dying of consumption
coughing up phlegm and guts
coughing up for hair-cuts
consumption as consumption
a pun worthy of bready circus
consumption masked as purpose