When Emerson said that “America is a poem in our eyes,” he was referring to its expansive geography that seemingly goes on forever. To Emerson, all of America was yet to be discovered, and he thrilled at the prospect of seeing new things. Today, everyone has seen the America that Emerson was dreaming of, and there are no new words to describe vistas that are routinely familiar.
I woke up this morning pretending that I was Emerson reincarnated. I imagined the modern-day version of him looking at the daily headlines as a source of inspiration. I decided to channel this inner Emerson that exists inside of me and will take a stab at interpreting the world in three simple poems.
Most extreme abortion law in US takes effect in Texas
The poorest of you will suffer the most,
but that is not our concern.
The most zealot of you will benefit the most,
and that was our primary goal.
We want to control your bodies,
your minds,
your choices.
We don’t care what excuses you make,
whether it be rape, health, or economy.
We are the Thought Police now,
and we rule over your autonomy.
Some might say that the Taliban are our role models,
and that’s not far from the truth.
The Taliban are mainstream now,
and doesn’t the saying always go,
If you can’t beat them, join them?
We have a vision for the future.
Say “Hello” to the New World Order.
Australia: Police can now hack citizens’ devices, collect or delete their data
Fuck your freedoms
We think you’re a criminal anyway
You have no rights
when we already think you’re wrong
We don’t care how
innocent
you are.
We have a right to
highjack
your conversation
By putting words into
your mouth.
We’ll do the talking
for you
Since we already
know
what you’re going
to say.
We’ve been
listening
to you
this whole
entire
time.
Taliban show off captured weapons at Kandahar victory parade
Well, ain’t that just
FUCKING
great?
The US created a
Taliban army.
Is that where my
tax dollars
went?
Wow. I’m so glad that I
contributed
to their cause.
I would have hated to put
my hard-earned dollars toward
universal healthcare,
or education,
or the environment.
No, I sleep much better at night
knowing that terrorists
have enough weapons now
to keep their medieval agendas
alive.
Welcome to dystopia everyone! Strap on in. It’s gonna be a wild ride!
Krista Marson 