An Allegory Of Our Poetry Poem by RIC BASTASA

we are all riding in the same boat of
MV Poetry

we all eye an island of our dreams
we want to feel
the ecstasy of words, the sensation of sound
the scent of imagination

the Chairman of the Board
sees to it that there must be a proper classification
of all passengers
strict segregation
in accordance with social status
and economic standing
the color of the eyes
the smoothness of the skin
the mark of class in the
foreskin

we know our states
we get our economy tickets
we never have fine dining
and nice classical music
we only have our own
packed food,
cold and all that kind
of cheaper stuff

but we all know how to please ourselves
we the poor
and the underprivileged

or the middle class that we want to think
as a matter of elevating ourselves
a little bit
this backbone of
society

someone gets an FM radio
turns it on
and we have music then and then we dance
all night
among our kind of
class
holding on to each others'
weaker arms

those who die in their fame
are put in their most expensive coffins
and those who are rich and privileged like
have private rooms
hot showers
expensive silk linens
softest pillows

exclusive parties and
dark forest cakes and red sparkling wines
and chosen conversations
recited their own poems
and are applauded
with their own
special musicales

....i make a conclusion
it is also true here, very much exactly like it

when the boat shall finally sink
all scamper for life just the same.