3
Poetry
La Machine Infernale
Kevin Rodricks
This accursed machine that we all feed,
It groans and moans and bellows with glee
It feeds on dread and misery,
While a few sit atop it lavishly
A wretched thing it is indeed,
This stygian thing of most foul deeds
It thrives on life and produces wealth
And every day it eats well
It eats souls
It eats lives
It eats dreams
It feasts on pride
It will one day devour this world whole
Crushing brilliant dreams untold
And why, pray tell is this beast so baleful?
Why he’s the system that makes the corporate realm so grateful
It eats love and packages hate
It takes passion and fate
And pronounces every devious jester great
It props up fools in the place of kings
And sells dreams to all wretched things
It creaks and groans and mutters with glee
This burgeoning apostle of malady
War and pain and drought and bounty
No time is safe when on the march for glory
And today is no different, sir, no, sir
We will feed the beast with our minds so scoured
From lowest serf to highest saint
The machine will leave it’s maleficent taint
Zounds, it is time to put this thing to rest!
Tear down the contraption and bury the rest
A system that serves none is devious at best
Screw the shareholders and rip it out by the chest
We need the beast no longer to stand on our feet
We march to our own tune, you would best believe
Feed the thing no longer,
It’s not worth your life
Walk out into the sunlight
Now is your time
-Kevin C. Rodricks