Monday, February 3, 2020

The Ice Bear Cometh




painting by Mark Adlington.


The Ice Bear Cometh 

“ ‘Hope springs eternal in the human breast’ and it
is as necessary to life as the act of breathing.”
--Lewis Howard Latimer.

I used to think that only radical Muslims wanted to
return society to the ignorance and tumult of the
Middle Ages, but this winter we have witnessed
democracy receiving a gut shot, while the party
of Lincoln has turned their backs so they don’t
have to watch her bleed out.

My three-year nightmare is continuing, while the
madness of King Trump deepens, rotten to the
core, and it springs like a rabid carcinogen toward
all the vital organs of the Republic. Tiny Trumpian
ice cycles try to freeze my eyes shut. Dystopian
snow banks outside are already piled up over the
top of my doors and windows, and all I have is a
teaspoon to dig myself out with.

Housebound, I dream of the Spring that is to come,
but I see all the blossoms and bounty blacken with
authoritarian blight, while the cantaloupe skies swirl
with malicious locusts, bats and flying monkeys. What 
could spring me from this bear trap insanity--not the
next equinox, not even the sun of summer. I hope
that a tuft of emancipation awaits me in November,
when I will reach out to an Election that may already
be tainted, twisted, manipulated and violated by the 
dark denizens of MAGA. One clean pristine vote
tossed into a maelstrom of malice and 20,000 lies

Polar bears are hungry,
coming indoors now to sate
their taste for humans.


Glenn Buttkus

Haibun

Posted over at dVerse Poets Pub

9 comments:

Frank J. Tassone said...

A tortured hope for a Spring long in coming, Glenn. Riveting, apocalyptic imagery, and a searing tone to match convey the bleak frustration so many of us feel.

Dwight L. Roth said...

I feel your pain! But, spring will come and this to shall pass!

Jade Li said...

Glenn, I hear you. Some azzhole in the group I had lunch with today started on anti-Bernie crap and I shut him down in a hurry. I'm on pins and needles over the Iowa caucus today. I've been watching live feeds at Bernie supporters events all weekend. Bernie came right out and said it isn't just the Republicans gunning for him it's the Democrats also. I don't want to consider what is next if Bernie isn't elected, for myself, my nation, and the planet.

Kim M. Russell said...

The return to the Middle Ages seems to be happening everywhere, Glenn. I listened to a play on the BBC at the weekend, which was set in a future of religious fervour, when all technology has failed and it’s illegal to possess any relics from pervious times. Women are oppressed, punishment is severe, and ignorance is the norm. I’m still in shock from the realisation that the UK is no longer part of the EU, and that a terrorist took advantage of the distraction this weekend. I’m also shocked that the United States is unable to impeach Trump! He and his administration are indeed a blight. I’ll be keeping an eye out for the polar bears.

Jane Dougherty said...

If you want to see life in the Middle Ages, the Christians have any number of sects can help out.

Gina said...

a medley of furry animals, ripe fruits and disgusting humans, into the mix comes a polar bear, proud and territorial, the drama has a new challenge.

lillianthehomepoet.wordpress.com said...

"all I have is a teaspoon to dig myself out with."
Boy....it really feels like that this morning after the debacle of the Iowa caucus. It feeds right into the occupant's spew of lies and misinformation. It could not have come at a worse time!!! Your comparison to the Middle Ages and spring is cleverly done but oh....oh....how I wish you didn't even have the subject matter to deal with! Bring on November!!! And hopefully a fresh wind will blow in!

Sherry Blue Sky said...

I echo every word and emotion. I have watched with increasing disbelief, outrage and a loss of hope as this bunch of gangsters destroys everything. Grinning like ghouls the whole time.

brudberg said...

I really cannot understand how we come to turn our backs to democracy like this. It seems like what we think that the only thing we can use to weed out corruption is more corruption.

Like putting out fire with gasoline (to quote Bowie)

I say we because we are all part of what has put people like him in power is "we the people" - now turned into "me the people"