Second Edit: Defeat/Disenfranchised

[Richard]

Second Edit:

Disenfranchised

I don't know when it happened,
but poetry has lost its right to vote,
and reality is just slowly catching up
like wages for women.

The ballot was a blank page,
the lines erupting a possible revolution.
Now, the white
is white,
nothing else,
the whole process an abuse of an authority
that no longer exists.

There's no options left for us
except for a poet to throw herself
under the king's horse.
Then culpability
can be taken by someone else,
while you change the channel,
like the post,
click on the video
and laugh.

You,
who think you are as blameless
as you are anonymous.

First Edit:

Defeat

Poetry has lost its right to vote,
perhaps it never could,
and reality is just catching up
like wages for women.

The ballot was a blank page.
The lines erupting a possible revolution.
Or the white
was white,
nothing else,
meaning the poet should throw herself
under the king's horse now.
Then culpability
can be taken by someone else,
while you change the channel,
like the post,
click on the video
and laugh.

You,
who think you are as blameless
as you are anonymous.

Original:

Defeat

poetry has lost its right to vote
or perhaps it never could
and reality is just catching up
like wages for women

the ballot was a blank page
the lines erupting a possible revolution
or the white
was white
nothing else
the whole process an abuse of an authority
that never existed
meaning the poet should throw herself
under the king's horse now
so culpability
can be passed like a napkin
someone politely asks
to be put in the trash
while you change the channel
like the post
click on the video
and laugh

you
who think you are as blameless
as you are anonymous