Thursday, January 28, 2021

Good People



image from timelife.com

 Good People


“This Civil Rights work is not about those white

people. It is about you; just you.”--Layla F. Saad.


Let us join them, those

bastards, declaring MLK/JFK/KKK

Day. Cleve our nation right down 

the middle; exist in separate

dominions.--Glenn Buttkus.


To be white, straight, or

male or middle class is to be

simultaneously ubiquitous and

invisible.--S.K. Minel.


Next up we could honor

George Washington/Jefferson Davis

on the same day; a two-headed

snake battle flag.--Glenn Buttkus.


Our police force was not

created to serve black Americans;

it was created

to serve white Americans and

police black Americans.--Ijeoma Auo.


We might consider

a Lincoln/Hitler Day, a top hat

with a swastika on it.--Glenn Buttkus.


White entitlement

means Black Americans have to

thank Whitey for

not being as fucked up

as they could be.--Kiese Laymon.


We must not forget

Labor/Auschwitz Day; Arbeit

Macht Frei mother fuckers.

--Glenn Buttkus.


Admit that White is

more than a color. The world is

an amusement park, and your

white skin buys your way into it.

--A.S. Ting.


It’s time to celebrate

Christmas/9-11, where we honor

both the Crusades

and the Crucifixion.--Glenn Buttkus.


When you have only

experienced privilege, then equality

feels like oppression.--Adam Rutherford.


We need to create

Valentine’s/Holocaust Day, exchanging

hearts with ashes in them.--Glenn Buttkus.


If the problem of

racism is ever solved

where will future 

politicians get the fodder for

the masses that brought them to power?

--Lonis Yako.


How about we go for

Thanksgiving/Appomattox Day,

where re-enactors can portray

Lee & Grant splitting a turkey.

--Glenn Buttkus.


It’s a terrible thing

to hide your racism in order

to stay safe, be liked

and comfortable while black people

are suffering and dying.--Glennon Doyle.


And hell, let’s do

Hanukkah/Easter on which

the Easter Bunny

could be crucified and eaten.

--Glenn Buttkus.



Glenn Buttkus


Renga


Posted over at d'Verse Poet's Pub

9 comments:

peterfrankiswrites.wordpress.com said...

Great piece Glenn - and wonderful 'renga' or 'found' poetry - your flame burns bright, white hot in this - just what great poetry is all about.

JadeLi said...

What a wild ride, Glenn. I like this renga form where you alternate with other people, all on a theme. Your holidays have me laughing but also feeling a little surreal. How do we find ourselves in this mess? I would be in support of a separate nation for the racists as long as they would honor the borders and do their trading elsewhere. You know that would never happen. They'd link up with some of these other oppressive regimes then try to attack us.

Helen said...

I think this form is perfect for the message you have so beautifully gifted us. (I would love to see read this on the Bill Maher show.) A rant worth hearing, over and over and over.

ben Alexander said...

This was SO good!

-David

Ingrid said...

Brilliant, Glenn: you highlighted some thorny issues while still making me laugh! A lot to think about here. A favourite:

How about we go for

Thanksgiving/Appomattox Day,

where re-enactors can portray

Lee & Grant splitting a turkey.

--Glenn Buttkus.

That I would love to see!

robkistner said...

These are provocative, hard hitting, and caustically humorous — good shit dude! If I get some time brother, I may come back and propose names for your hybrid holidays!? Kicked ass here my friend!

Sanaa Rizvi said...

This is an incredibly powerful write, Glenn! Especially resonate with; "If the problem of racism is ever solved where will future politicians get the fodder for the masses that brought them to power?" If left to their own devices I fear they would never let us be one. So yes, I agree with you; We need to create Valentine’s/Holocaust Day, exchanging hearts with ashes in them."💝

purplepeninportland.com said...

Wow, Glenn! The interweaving of yourself and other poets really gave this
a jolt of power. Love it!

brudberg said...

How about Columbus day... we must be able to find someone who enslaved and killed the native Americans... o.. of course maybe we don't need to pair him.