Speaking truth to power
can be frightening
that’s the whole idea of all those
big men in black uniforms
all leather and shoulder pads
masks and dark glasses and of course
scary looking guns…
(Where do they find such types you wonder
ready to do the dirty work)
Imagine if you dare
this sorry lot in the changing room
at the end of their shift – they will
certainly look a lot smaller out of
uniform and you will then recognise
the usual suspects of High School bullies
And you may feel yourself
to be too small a number
knowing as you do that the one in power
pays no heed to Polls and
if he chanced to think of you at all
he would imagine a very small number
“So very, very small!”
But numbers add up and if you can
share the secret password – K1ndness#
to find like-minded souls
with whom you can conjugate
– like times tables and become
the very thing that fascists fear
“We the People!”
© Andrew Wilson, 2025
Over at dVerse Poets Pub, Lisa or Li in Poetics invites us to write about “Power”.
There’s power in numbers, there’s power in people!
We have to hope so and keep the faith – thanks for reading Jay…
That’s what I’ve never been able to understand, Andrew, how a minority has power over a majority. Why don’t we imagine ‘this sorry lot in the changing room’ and find like-minded souls with whom to conjugate’ people power?
Because people are afraid to comment, to stand out, to stand up Viva the United Poet’s Front!
Power to the people Andrew 🙌
Right On AJ!
They are definitely in the minority. We do need to find 12 x 12x 12 x 12–to shout from the rooftops in a united concert of voices.
Speaking of how do they get those bullies? From what I’ve read, ICE has been advertising seeking people to apply. They keep dropping qualifications and adding signing bonuses. I’m not certain one even needs a high school diploma now, or perhaps that’s all they need at this point. Well, and I guess a desire to bully.
And what to do with them once the tyranny finally goes – how will they be rehabilitated…
👍🏼👍🏼👍🏼
Thanks Sadje…
You’re very welcome Andrew
Andrew, I like how you stepped us through to the encouraging reality at the end. We *can* do it if we join together. Good writing to the topic of power.
Not sure if you heard, but they are giving bonuses of $50-60,000 to people signing up to be ICE agents and/or forgiving that much student loan debt. It will be a true moral dilemma for people who wouldn’t normally do it but are drowning in debt.
Thanks Li – Well maybe some of those will moderate the evils and be able to detox afterwards – lets hope…
Speaking truth to power is definitely scary… especially to those who are in power.
The risk of doing so often comes with a price that can be silenced momentarily, but not eradicated!
Well done, Andrew!
Thanks Dwight – Lucky that Trump and his ilk dont read much poetry and probably wouldnlt get the subversion…
I’m had the fortune of running into a few of my high school bullies. And with a couple, I’ve recognized they never viewed themselves as a being a bully, but rather as victims of being bullied. That paradigm shift they went through when they realized the harm they did to others, turned out to be quite powerful in their own lives. Merely recognizing the harm one has done to others is quite powerful. Your’s is a very nice poem.
Thank you Aaron – and that is a good insight, believe it or not, I worry about these and other people sucked into the madness and what will become of them on the other side…
Weight of numbers definitely has influence, but sometimes it is not enough.
No it’s not and there will be casualties before normal is restored – for sure…
Standing up to bullies will of course hurt, but if we don’t it will cause even more damage…. I wonder who is willing to do the dirty work
Exactly right Björn…
I am imagining those men you write about in the changing room … I don’t see high school bullies, I see men who added all manner of padding / accoutrements for EFFECT. Cowards. Cheers to you, Andrew.
Thanks Helen, giving what support and encouragement I can…