Swallowed Alive Poem by richard ilnicki

What if you were to swallow everything
that had been set before you
questioning nothing,
a subservient boot licker
begging for bread?

On the other hand,
what if you employed brute force
to make your point
by cattle-prodding the ears of your listeners
as if they were dumb animals
begging for a letter?

What if you
were strapped to a bomb
and willing to die
just to make your point?
Would it explode in your mouth
upon lift off
or bring you to your knees
upon impact?
Or would you take a stand
upon a rock laid bare by the ocean
exposing your weathered will
along with subconscious fantasies?

Would you grant unconditional amnesty
to all prisoners
or only to those
who had been swallowed alive
by denial?