Sonnet: The New Salem State
by John Kendall Hawkins
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Create the Chaos. Be the Solution.Ã "ž
Plant the seeds. Get them pointing. See who "drowns."
Foreigners are the best props. Make them clowns.
Wink out monotonic elocution.
All good cheeky fun for the Far-Flungs.
Rent their ears out, a buck-fifty per hour.
Spend hours burnishing their White Power.
Peyton Place pettiness hypocrite tongues.
I'd leave, but can't; therein lies a clue.
Here, they'll never say a thing to your face --
like in prison, the argot, the rats pace --
sledge in the crease, bowl Warnie, charm school zoo.
Cult diggers one minute, mobsters the next
And shhh! Don't tell anyone, send a text.
