Clarissa C.Adkins

Vista from The Foggy Privilege Observation Balcony

Thick, fat hearts make dirty milk
and cheese out of poorly-quoted
marbled verses.
And in every chamber of these hearts
they play elevator music titled:
predictable prophetic hypocrisy
that reads from right to left,
and even sometimes,
from left to right.

But don’t take my word for it, 
just listen from one ear to the other
because the music’s coming on again:

They said we wouldn’t have such problems if—
               and what are these problems?
if this group or that group—
               what makes “they” they?
weren’t invading our schools,
               is it your school?
or changing our ways.
               What has changed about your life? 

Let’s try another example, such as I heard someone say:

It’s a lack of fathers, and this is why 
we have crime and problems.
               Now show me the child who does not want a father. 

Maybe we don’t see quite clearly through our milky vantage,
                Perhaps, you’ve worked for what you wanted, but
                you have been given everything you need.