sometimes in poetry

Even when there’s something actual to fear,
they’d rather make one up anyway,
it is easier to control.
You’re easier to control.
So am I, of course.

Sometimes fake works.
Sometimes genuine is broken.
Sometimes function trumps our shallow sense of authenticity.
Sometimes both are terrible.
Sometimes form follows function and
sometimes form is forced to stop
because function managed to get a restraining sheet from a judge.
Sometimes the lie won’t budge
while the truth has already slipped out past the border.
Sometimes when pain is giving orders
maybe you’re gonna have to ignore her
but when pain is teaching patiently
maybe you just have to listen.
Definitions lose their efficacy
when the meaning of the words within are also missing.

Maybe they didn’t make it up this time
but they made it work for blood and gold
and making pain into money
is the actual crime.
Whether it was real in the beginning or not,
the spice still flows
the bodies rot
who cares if it was bad luck
conspiracy or heresy
it doesn’t change a damn for me.
Here we are.
Change it now.
There’s gas in the car.