Tragically Routine

The marketing of accepted decadence.
Leaving entitlements given,
Broadening the meaning of free speech.
Today weaponized to defend and keep,
Many left to believe a doing unto others...
Is done as they choose to do as they please.

Leaders selected and picked,
Not for competence nor common sense used.
Yet as long as they represent,
Lawlessness and public displays...
Of their ability to disobey rules.

Videotaped games promoting violence,
In the most horrendous ways.
Escalating division and racism.
Giving everyone the excuse to say,
They feel threatened and fear...
Others who appear to be enemies,
Of a way of life disappearing nowhere near.

Crimes committed,
In urban and suburban neighborhoods.
Has become tragically routine.
Making headline news on a daily basis.
And numbed the children have become.
That some are seen at these scenes today,
Taking 'selfies' of themselves.
At the scene of the crime.
Not affected  at all.
While searching through a store.
To buy candles to burn.
As if they will be given credit,
And a grade to have earned.
Not to feel concern.
But hopefully it is appropriately accepted.
In a going through the motion to express.

'I love that picture you took.
As if you were right at the scene.'

'Luckily we were leaving class.
And this kid no one knew,
Pulled out a rifle.
So...
I pulled out my cellphone.
To ask if I could take his picture.
He posed before the police shot him.
The next day I showed,
Him lying on the ground to my teacher.
Dead like road kill.
And...
To my surprising amazement,
My teacher began to rave,
About the quality of the picture.
And gave me an 'A' for my bravery.'

'No...way!?'

'Yes.
I couldn't believe it.
The light I needed,
Had been covered by the trees.'

'Awesome.
Breath taking is the reality.
Then what did you do?'

'Huh?
What do you mean,
What did we then do?
After we bought the candles,
We went to my home to smoke weed.
Duh!'