47th President Poem: Somebody told a lie one day, by Carl Harris

For reasons known only to the bourgeoisie
For reasons situating tech conglomerates front row
For reasons couched in legalese
For reasons that make minstrelsy meaningful
For reasons that mock martyrs

About the nature of man/woman/and flesh
About the meaning of sin and purity
About the goings on of equality and progress
About the promise of sovereignty
About the master’s tools

In an attempt to usurp democracy
In an attempt to avoid prosecution
In an attempt to turn poverty against impoverished
In an attempt to uphold whiteness
In an attempt to preserve Christianity

That he didn’t rape E. Jane Carroll
That he didn’t mishandle national security documents
That he didn’t commit treason
That he didn’t participate in RICO
That he won’t do it all again

Hoping that the veil would remain over our eyes
Hoping we would eat each other before feasting on them
Hoping we’d die from their pollution
Hoping we’d hate one another enough to ignore them
Hoping “tomorrow” would be enough hope for us

And it was brilliant
And it assured a second rise to power
And it turned the American dream into diarrhea
And it assaulted blackness for being black
And it made memories of yesteryear into memories of yesterday