watching the world
die in real time
is an anxiety inducing
semi plausible
suicidal situation
yet i cannot make myself
look away

long eschewing any
signs of salvation in
the unflinching images
of death and destruction
numbed to the violence
mimicking earnest reactions
while feeling nothing at all

self preservation
as an act of intoxication
denying the intensity
in acts of atrocities
seeking distractions
as we bury our heads
in the ashes of
yesterday’s best intentions
mindlessly sleepwalking
with digital blinders
in a nonstop barrage of
high definition insanities
dead children in texas
dead children in ukraine
starving souls seeking succor
in land devoid of
nutritional content

and people wonder why
i sit in parks talking
to sparrows and squirrels
reciting my adoration
in a heavy cloud of
swiling silent sorrow

better than watching
the world die in real time
the covered corpses
carefully wheeled out for the
flashing cameras as bombs
fall like spring showers