R.U.D.E. (Reality Undermines Disciplined Efforts) Poem by Luke Easter

Made a trip today to an area shopping mall,
And I was simply stunned at the things I saw,
It is not something that I have never before seen,
But on a larger scale people are down right mean.

Doesn’t matter if it’s a new, used or hoopty car,
Parked close to the entrance or inconveniently far,
What can set a true Christian and the evil one apart?
How about something so simple as a shopping cart.

Obviously to many people this isn’t a really big thing,
Until you are made aware of all the knicks and dings,
Or as you hurry to pull into that perfect parking place,
Instead of being empty a shopping cart is in the space.

Something that will make you act like the lowest class,
Is when you cannot park there because of all the trash,
Even worse is when the spot’s covered by broken glass,
It’s hard to keep your cool but you just left Sunday Mass.

Is it hard to wonder why easy going people get an attitude?
Not at all, especially when some others are so damned rude,
And now that it’s warm why do many have to dress so lewd?
I dislike those who open packages in stores and eat the food.

It doesn’t matter that they do it and then don’t bother to pay,
Want to be a thief? That’s on you but at least throw it away,
Whether or not they know it in the long run we all will say,
How come this item is so much higher than it was yesterday?

I also saw something, which would have been quite unique,
A twelve year-old girl with pants so low it exposed her cheeks,
I couldn’t believe my eyes and what made this sight very sad,
This “young lady” was actually walking next to mom and dad.

Then there is a part of the population that plays music so loud,
Not in the comfort of their home but in the middle of a crowd,
This one is something else that really throws me for a loop,
Dogs crapping in your yard, owners will not scoop the poop.

Saw a guy walking a huge rottweiler along with a miniature pit,
Right across the street they, well, I’m sure you get the jest of it,
Not only was it monstrous but, there was an unmistakable stank,
One of the few times out of the military I wished I owned a tank.

Upon returning home while pulling in the yard I just had to laugh,
There was an empty wine cooler bottle but it was plastic not glass,
Farther in the driveway I see a McDonald’s bag is on the ground,
Funny thing is there are no fast food places close to being around.

“Iron sharpens iron, ” while wood against wood starts a fire,
Stronger is an element destroying than one taking it higher,
Destruction of property, malls demolished, fights after school,
The standards are set and still less, not more follow any rules.

Like sheep not wanting to be caught in the mass of slaughter,
You’d think one would want better for spouse, son & daughter,
The main reason those who could, moved stakes taking flight,
Just to be devastated years later from increasing urban plight.

This is not to single out Blacks, Whites, Asians or Hispanics,
Just like auto repair shops there are good and bad mechanics,
The American Indian was one race comprised of many tribes,
Not all were savages because they carried bows, arrows & knives.

Only after attacks from so-called explorers did they have to defend,
To save their country & freedom from hordes of unscrupulous men,
Currently in our cities we are having different levels of internal fight,
Although, it is still the same battle of wrong behavior versus right.

Our houses and neighborhoods should reflect civic pride and joy,
Instead of being a playground for those whose intent is to destroy,
Even on our highways there’s loads of trash where nobody walks,
This is just secondary to the trash these inconsiderate people talk.

Told some kids I'd call the cops if they kept walking in the streets,
'Go ahead and call them old man, we ain't afraid of the police.'
Satan quickly entered my mind as I devilishly again begin to think,
Forget about buying one if I only knew where I could steal a tank.

I can almost understand during a winter storm but not in the heat,
Where sidewalks are clear why walk in the middle of the street?
What happened to respect of the 50's,60's, when did this begin?
The answer's in the Book of Proverbs, there's a lack of discipline.

There can be an acronym for everything known under the sun,
However, here is what it means for this poem and only this one,
As before oil is refined into gasoline it’s none other than crude,
Reality Undermines Disciplined Efforts is how I spell R.U.D.E.