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Left to Suffer
Society states a strong preference
to the boxes defined for types
into which all must surely slot
for the rigid to have their way
one or the other is the normative
as if a coin flip may define
the infinite found in between
realms where poles are left behind
still the pundits seek to constrain
those who choose to stray
it’s for the best for all concerned
so goes the theory as whips flay
held by those with holy zeal
to set right what’s not been wronged
the absence of conformity
is enough for their decrees
imagination is put aside
denial held as the sacred rite
when this measure becomes a blight
held up to gods for pure delight
the greatest sin life contrives
is to curse the soul without reprieve
demanding death before life
then pushing some to self-expire
these destinations of mankind
divorced from nature they defy
wishing only to console
fantasies in sacred texts
these statements of society
are merely rules without regard
to the ones that can’t abide
left to suffer for the lies.
© 2019. Sean Green. All Rights Reserved. 20190510.
to the boxes defined for types
into which all must surely slot
for the rigid to have their way
one or the other is the normative
as if a coin flip may define
the infinite found in between
realms where poles are left behind
still the pundits seek to constrain
those who choose to stray
it’s for the best for all concerned
so goes the theory as whips flay
held by those with holy zeal
to set right what’s not been wronged
the absence of conformity
is enough for their decrees
imagination is put aside
denial held as the sacred rite
when this measure becomes a blight
held up to gods for pure delight
the greatest sin life contrives
is to curse the soul without reprieve
demanding death before life
then pushing some to self-expire
these destinations of mankind
divorced from nature they defy
wishing only to console
fantasies in sacred texts
these statements of society
are merely rules without regard
to the ones that can’t abide
left to suffer for the lies.
© 2019. Sean Green. All Rights Reserved. 20190510.
Published 11th May 2019
Author's Note
The poem “Left to Suffer” was inspired by a past social media conversation about how society is not comfortable when people step outside of the normative roles assumed to be in play. The binary is assumed to always in play, with rigid locations for the two extremes.
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Commenting Preference:
The author encourages honest critique.
11th May 2019 12:59pm
I read some Father John Misty type vibes in this,
of whom i am a massive fan,
fierce words, written with no apology,
just how it should be.
I was going to suggest splitting the stanza's into smaller ones,
but upon rereading, they work rather well,
i enjoyed the read.
of whom i am a massive fan,
fierce words, written with no apology,
just how it should be.
I was going to suggest splitting the stanza's into smaller ones,
but upon rereading, they work rather well,
i enjoyed the read.
11th May 2019 2:44pm
Thank you for the kind words! I wrote the poem in separate four-line stanzas and then make the decision whether to leave them separate or group them into larger stanzas. Why does it work? I purposely write pairs of four-line stanzas to go together. The end result is a poem with a "statement - details - conclusion" structure.
