Poetry-Thing Thursday: Harsh Reality

Neon lights.
Bright Eyes.
Light pollution,
of a million varied hues.

Neo-Tokyo.
New Chicago.
Sprawl names,
for sprawl lives.

Cold chrome and carbon fiber,
replacing skin and bone.
Neuronal wiring,
for optical replacements and HUDs.

Political corruption,
a dime a dozen,
and all but a few,
live in poverty,
or beneath corporate thumbs.

But is that,
really so different,
than what we have now?
Mortgages, debt, and private utilities,
what do we really own?

Civil asset forfeiture,
or search and seizure–
What’s the difference,
between police and Gestapo,
cop and stasi?

Fascism or communism?
Take your pick.
But of the latter,
we’re free,
to be equally poor.

And to the former?
We have only ourselves to blame,
for sitting when we should stand,
and covering our ears and eyes.

Is this our future,
still far off?
Dystopian terror,
and corporate slavery?
Or is it upon us now,
cold and calculating,
with harsh reality,
making our lives gray?