Deranged Duels And Frightened Fuels Poem by John Sensele

When defiance walks tall
Challenging shackles and buckles to a duel
Peering at pain, swearing not to play ball
Despite threats and debts, Pantagruel

Brushes aside carrots of corruption and parrots of impunity despots dangle
In their despair to score pot-hole points
In fits and pits of Hell where despots and piss pots tangle
In their bid to sag Pantagruel's justice joints

Grinning galore
Mouths frothing at prospects of breaking down
The resistance despots ignore
In the rustic rondavel, in the crowded cabin in town

At the peril of sycophants whose consciences surrender
Imperiling freedom, swapping wisdom for ignorance
Faith for betrayal, failing to shout ‘Back to Sender'
Emboldening uglier utterance and recalcitrance

In corridors of coercion
Gleaning and gleaming in grime
Breathing broken boldness, dripping distortion
Believing crime in time

Wins over virtue
Pantagruel promotes
As prisoners stew
In injustice juice as mundane coats and motes

Sink to their knees
Pleading for measly mercy
From conversion consignees
Who jump on the bandwagon on blatant bankruptcy

While fervent fuels
Boost Pantagruel's morale
To win more duels
In courts of public opinion which reject the rationale

Pushed forward with vigour
Pales into insignificance
When its frail façade and fumble figure
Collapse in the far distance on balance

Cos in the long run justice weighs heavier than a mighty sword
Mishandled over and over again
Until at breaking point, it sows discord
And yields nothing worthwhile for despots to gain

When a public relation disaster
Vile and Sterile
Might run faster and faster
But remains puerile and febrile if pushed an extra mile for a while.