inspired by this ‘HP BREAKING NEWS STORY’ twitter prompt: “The bizarre dog whistles in a campaign video Trump tweeted out, explained: It features fascist imagery and swinging bull testicles,” by Aaron Rupar, VICE, Aug 29, 2019.

the world 
is coded for torture 
see the picture 
and it is already 
burrowing behind your eyes 
into brain tissue 
depositing seed 
spawning those foolish twins 
Obedience and Rebellion 
each one carrying the genes 
of Hatred 

we tuck our freedoms 
into our pockets 
and saunter out into the day 
not even holding our breath 
as one after another 
distant neighbors 
are gunned down 
poison burning in backyards 
such a mess, 
all this dying. 
but 
oh this is 
the life. 
we paid for it 
didn't we? 
it must be 
ours. 

Kyla Houbolt lives and writes in Gastonia, NC. She hopes everybody wakes up in time. You can find her published work on her link tree: https://linktr.ee/luaz_poet

image: Photo by Joël de Vriend on Unsplash