Government Cheese

by Kavon Henley


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Rib meat and skin sofas decorate the house
behind the black gates and security guards
Their offering of gratitude- guns and butter-
warms citizen’s grime covered hands
Stomachs of lard holds champagne,
on top of charcuterie board cheese, the chess of life.
Rich laughter reaches poor ears wandering
through pothole streets and clogged AC units 
F̶R̶E̶E̶L̶O̶A̶D̶E̶R̶S̶!̶
Amid the baby’s cry for milk, you hear hearty laughter
kill hopes of broken bread

The mounted 50 cal. sweeps the intersection
breaking thin skin and piercing rotten flesh
Separate the winners and losers
with the question, “am I my brother’s keeper?”
The tyrants sit on the throne amidst the smoke
smoking Cuban cigars and drinking old fashions
Let Lady Liberty weep in the thick of gunfire
as her youngest children die
Green everywhere, every corner
except in the hands of the block

FUBU hats and rainbow flags, a crown of thorns
sacrilegious to the American flag
Hands over hearts utters the pledge
promising maggot ridden bread
L̶A̶Z̶Y̶!̶
Anti- me and anti- you paint the picture
over stolen souls and murdered promises
Thrones of guns and swords decorate the palaces
where the pen kills millions in a single stroke
Think and grow rich sold to millions
as a million eyes look up to the sky

Resistance is a candle flame
ready for gasoline or water
Money the great divider
but fire the great equalizer
The great tug of war spans east to west
as we all look towards destiny


Kavon Henley is an emerging poet based in Richmond, VA.

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