An Abecedarian
the first that came to me
After language ceases to serve the needs of a people, it’s said
Brutality takes hold. Protests shift from
“Civilized
Discourse,” to, well, you know. This proclamation hardly denotes truth.
Ever louder, people cry for peace while sneering at justice.
Failing to see positive peace as an active process.
Game theory only gets us so far. If we
Hope to produce something other than avoidance or
If we want something new– something closer to onus–
Just cooperating doesn’t cut it. Justice has always been
Kinetic. Boots on the ground, steeped in conflict and resolution,
Lusting for direct action as one
Might a distant lover.
Now, we reckon with the fact that violence has always been
Our master. Never has there been a time when barbarity didn’t shade our
Perceptions of how to behave.
Quickened hearts at flashing lights in the
Rearview mirror reminds us not to speed and
Some of us, not to live or breathe.
“Two wrongs don’t make a right” (the moderate response) ignores the
Underlying racism. Never mind the fact that the first wrong is imagined.
Virtually judge, jury, and executioner and still sanctioned by the state; it’s a
Wonder anyone trusts the decisions of administrations.
Xenophobic zealots leading armies of eighteen-
Year-olds to death in wars meant for conquest in their
Zero-sum game.
About the Creator
kp
I am a non-binary, trans-masc writer. I work to dismantle internalized structures of oppression, such as the gender binary, class, and race. My writing is personal but anecdotally points to a larger political picture of systemic injustice.
Reader insights
Outstanding
Excellent work. Looking forward to reading more!
Top insights
Compelling and original writing
Creative use of language & vocab
Excellent storytelling
Original narrative & well developed characters
Eye opening
Niche topic & fresh perspectives
The Voyeur's Incandescent Reasoning
The woman sat nonplussed, in the Waiting Room. In a sort of daze, looking straight ahead patiently. She had already had three small breakfast's that morning and a nip of sherry, this was not unusual she would typically wait until an hour after she took her anti-depressant and was her morning routine. She was merely following instructions she assured herself, shifted slightly in her seat and feeling a little heart burn thought, maybe she should skip lunch. Dom had said to have the task done this week. She was well used to his methods and desired to get this over and done with soon. She glanced at her watch, smiled weakly at the Receptionist who was there for a moment and then gone.
By Canuck Scriber L.Lachapelle Author6 days ago in Fiction
Comments (13)
More people need to know that ‘Justice has always been kinetic’ Wow- that’s powerful!
This is a very well-written, important, and powerful piece. Great work!
Thank you!❤️ Congratulations on the well-deserved top story!😊💕
Hugely powerful, and you make your message heard without being distracted by the constraints of the challenge. "Some of us, not to live or breathe." says a lot.
Really powerful poem and beautifully written. Well done!
nicely done. slick.
Very relevant and well executed. Congrats on your Top Story!
Damn. This was a powerful poem! Reads like a letter to society in general. Beautiful read 👍🏽
Way to go! TS is a great way to kick off the year. Congratulations 🥳 well written
Very talented and enjoyed reading, Congratulations on being Top Story, well done.
This is amazing! Well done and congrats on the TS.
KP, this is stunning! You have such deep insight into the human condition. Every time I read it, I get something else out of it. Thank you for sharing.
*stunned face. This hit hard;"Xenophobic zealots leading armies of eighteen- Year-olds to death in wars meant for conquest in their Zero-sum game. Tragicallly beautiful on every level