rocknroll_girl
11-10-2004, 03:44 AM
We had to write something for Creative Writing in response to a prompt which quoted the adage "the personal is political." It's basically about the great irony that the Bible belt is so gung-ho for so-called "Family Values" yet they're throwing their own kids out of the house if they're gay. Any suggestions or comments would be appreciated - next week I have to "slam it" for an audience and I'm freaking out. (SORRY IF IT'S HUGE! I tried to make the font smaller...)
Takin’ Out the Trash
Takin’ Out the Trash
We’ve got life for sale –
What’s yours worth?
Four bucks an hour, or a grand?
No such thing as class here in an America
That cuts the fruit from the vine
See the way we treat our kids?
Root around the trash can of
offspring tarnished with
unfortunate genetic defects:
that’s where you’ll find
The morally devalued American rejects.
Because, well…
It takes a lot of screwing up
to get kicked out of the house
at 15.
More than failing a test
hitting your sister
or crashing the car.
Musta crossed a thicker line somewhere
Maybe just being honest, youthful flag of truth
burned with a gasp
Chucked out the back door
Console yourself: it was for the best.
Otherwise someone,
God or country,
would have intervened.
So go ahead!
Push it all back! throw it to the deep dark
censor squash shovel throw away cover up
hide deny betray conceal and finally forget
And if you do reject
your own creation
expecting a thank-you note
to appear in your mailbox
red white n’ blue trim
That reads:
Thank you for being God today.
She can’t make all these decisions
Herself
Don’t count on it
She’s up to the clouds
in paperwork
always a new kid pulling the trigger
shooting up feeling alone feeling helpless
feeling sick feeling betrayed
that’s a lot of prayers to answer
Besides, She reserves
all after-dinner thought
for the Catholic Church.
Busy, busy busy
One can imagine the relief
that America, in the name of God
decided to take Family Values
– quote, unquote –
into her own hands.
Takin’ Out the Trash
Takin’ Out the Trash
We’ve got life for sale –
What’s yours worth?
Four bucks an hour, or a grand?
No such thing as class here in an America
That cuts the fruit from the vine
See the way we treat our kids?
Root around the trash can of
offspring tarnished with
unfortunate genetic defects:
that’s where you’ll find
The morally devalued American rejects.
Because, well…
It takes a lot of screwing up
to get kicked out of the house
at 15.
More than failing a test
hitting your sister
or crashing the car.
Musta crossed a thicker line somewhere
Maybe just being honest, youthful flag of truth
burned with a gasp
Chucked out the back door
Console yourself: it was for the best.
Otherwise someone,
God or country,
would have intervened.
So go ahead!
Push it all back! throw it to the deep dark
censor squash shovel throw away cover up
hide deny betray conceal and finally forget
And if you do reject
your own creation
expecting a thank-you note
to appear in your mailbox
red white n’ blue trim
That reads:
Thank you for being God today.
She can’t make all these decisions
Herself
Don’t count on it
She’s up to the clouds
in paperwork
always a new kid pulling the trigger
shooting up feeling alone feeling helpless
feeling sick feeling betrayed
that’s a lot of prayers to answer
Besides, She reserves
all after-dinner thought
for the Catholic Church.
Busy, busy busy
One can imagine the relief
that America, in the name of God
decided to take Family Values
– quote, unquote –
into her own hands.