To the Overlords



To the Overlords - Part I

To the Overlords of this world—
the hollow men and women,
with full bellies—but still insatiable in their hunger—
gorging at the top,
looking down at the people—
"below".

The hollow men and women,
hoarding bullion, machinery, land, and toys—

Shoving it all—into the echo chambers of their privilege—

A spectacle of excess.
A competition of greed.

The have-nots crushed—by the deliberate thrusts of their overlord's hips—

Hollow men—and women.
Pitiful men, and women,
coddling their insecurities—

As mothers and fathers struggle
to nurture their emaciated children,

Praying for mercy—
to overlords who believe themselves chosen—
Favored. Anointed by God—
A God they do not believe in.

The architects of decay,
gallivanting across our screens,

Vultures draped in fine cloth.
Creatures of hell.

Signing and lobbying into law—
only what lines their pockets.

Eating organic—gold
off their plates,

Feeding the void, the parasite inside,
mistaking it for a soul.

Feasting. Parading in shallow fashion.

Poisoning oceans.
Drowning rivers in oil.
Dissolving democracy.
Displacing millions with the stroke of a pen.

To the hollow men and women—
the despicable, the deplorable—

Those who think of themselves Kings and Queens,
believing their flesh won’t rot like the rest of us.

To the overlords of this world,
to you, we raise our empty glasses.

Cheers.
Cheers!

To your greed—
may it rot alongside you,

When you inevitably join us—
six feet underground.

About this poem

I am angry. I am frustrated. I am watching, as those in power hoard wealth, dismantle democracy, and crush the people below—all in the name of insatiable growth. As a Social Science major with a concentration in Economics at NYU, I study these systems, but living through them is something else entirely. The numbers aren’t just figures—they are lives. I see the hollow men and women on TV, signing away futures, feeding their greed, believing they are untouchable. But no amount of wealth will save them from decay.  

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Written on February 18, 2025

Submitted by @Lbfisher on February 18, 2025

Modified by @Lbfisher on March 01, 2025

1:26 min read
1,753

Quick analysis:

Scheme x ABxxcx Bx x de x bbx cb fbxx xg xx xx xx xx b xxfx bc gd Ax HH ex dx
Closest metre Iambic tetrameter
Characters 1,533
Words 286
Stanzas 22
Stanza Lengths 1, 6, 2, 1, 2, 1, 3, 2, 4, 2, 2, 2, 2, 2, 1, 4, 2, 2, 2, 2, 2, 2

Luciana Fisher

 · 1982 · Niteroi RJ

Luciana Fisher is a Brazilian-American immigrant, rising poet, and passionate writer currently pursuing a BA in Social Sciences with a concentration in Economics at New York University (NYU). After graduating with honors from BMCC and earning an associate's degree in the Arts of Economics, she reignited her passion for poetry, which helped her in overcoming challenges after a cancer diagnosis. Her writing explores themes of identity, vulnerability, personal growth, and the intricacies of communication through poetry and prose. more…

All Luciana Fisher poems | Luciana Fisher Books

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Discuss the poem To the Overlords with the community...

9 Comments
  • karlcfolkes
    A painfully revealing poem. May I suggest you write a companion poem, this time directing its message directly as follows : “ To you overlords of this world…”
    LikeReply 126 days ago
  • charlesedwardyork
    I think this could your signature work! This poems resonates with so much compelling and poignant truth many of us can relate to.
    LikeReply 127 days ago
    • @Lbfisher
      Oh! Thank you! But then I hope I made it better because I just edited. Please let me know what you think of the new version and which you one you find more striking. Original or 2.0?
      LikeReply26 days ago
  • Akinpet23
    I lobe your amazing prescription.
    LikeReply 227 days ago
  • BellaTheMilkCarton
    nice
    LikeReply 227 days ago
  • yelskwah
    "The Overlords" is a powerful and scathing indictment of greed, corruption, and the vast inequalities that plague our world. You've masterfully used vivid imagery and a tone of righteous anger to create a poem that is both unsettling and deeply moving. 
    LikeReply 227 days ago
  • philmaund
    Wow, so many gut-punch images: "full bellies with insatiable hunger"; "feeding the parasite within, mistaking it for a soul"; "parading in shallow fashion". Powerful piece!
    LikeReply 228 days ago
  • mark.e.s
    feast or famine
    LikeReply 228 days ago
  • ThembieAngieeMt
    Your poem is a powerful and impassioned critique of inequality, greed, and the corrupting influence of those in power. The imagery of “hollow men and women” is striking, evoking a sense of emptiness in those who prioritize wealth and control over the well-being of others. The stark contrast between the opulence of the powerful and the suffering of the oppressed is clear and compelling. It’s a bold call to confront these injustices and reflect on the true cost of such greed. Well written. 
    LikeReply 228 days ago
    • @Lbfisher
      Thank you. I genuinely appreciate your comment and vote. Greed will be the end of us all.
      LikeReply 228 days ago
    • ThembieAngieeMt
      True. People's hearts should be free of greed. You're welcome.
      LikeReply 128 days ago
  • gary_dean
    Oh hell yes! this is an appropriately angry poem. Straight to the point, and a stab at greed and sociopathic disinterest in fellow man. There is no context where the current state of American democracy isn't appalling and infused with evil men and women destroying the social safety nets, and global safety nets, we have been building for 70 years. This poem calls it all out. You have my gratitude, Luciana. 
    LikeReply 128 days ago
    • @Lbfisher
      I am very angry. I am disgusted with the current state of affairs.
      LikeReply 128 days ago
    • gary_dean
      you are not alone.
      LikeReply 128 days ago

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"To the Overlords" Poetry.com. STANDS4 LLC, 2025. Web. 19 Mar. 2025. <https://www.poetry.com/poem/213864/to-the-overlords>.

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