deepundergroundpoetry.com
BLUE IN A RED STATE BLUES
i never learned
to talk the talk
don't mind
if a baby
eats my tax
money
or her mama
chooses not to carry
one more
destined for
hunger
worry over
those living
on the edge
lest they fall
without a net
and want
my gate open
to every shade
of flesh
and my brother
to marry
who he wants
and my preacher
to pay his taxes
like everybody
else
and those of
us who
sell our time --
our one
goddamned
salable
resource --
to get a
fair shake
in this hard life
and these desires
don't seem contrary
to the common
interest
but..
damn, brother...
i hear it just
ain't right
to talk the talk
don't mind
if a baby
eats my tax
money
or her mama
chooses not to carry
one more
destined for
hunger
worry over
those living
on the edge
lest they fall
without a net
and want
my gate open
to every shade
of flesh
and my brother
to marry
who he wants
and my preacher
to pay his taxes
like everybody
else
and those of
us who
sell our time --
our one
goddamned
salable
resource --
to get a
fair shake
in this hard life
and these desires
don't seem contrary
to the common
interest
but..
damn, brother...
i hear it just
ain't right
Published 27th Apr 2020
Author's Note
I live with confederate battle flags flying all around me. There is some passion there that misses me and a different take on truths that seem apparent to me. My neighbors and I don't talk much about it, and I know for a fact they are good people. I sometimes wonder where I would have stood in those terrible days. I've read there was much resistance to "the cause" even in my state, which was the first to secede.
Politics and division. An old story.
Politics and division. An old story.
All writing remains the property of the author. Don't use it for any purpose without their permission.
likes 11
reading list entries 6
comments 18
reads 501
Commenting Preference:
The author encourages honest critique.
27th Apr 2020 4:25pm
27th Apr 2020 4:33pm
27th Apr 2020 4:41pm
i feel like you crawled inside my head and stole all those thoughts from me! it's hard being blue in a red state.
and sometimes it's really hard to just vote blue no matter who.
well done on this!
and sometimes it's really hard to just vote blue no matter who.
well done on this!
27th Apr 2020 4:52pm
It can be lonely road.
My neighbors know I'm a lib. They treat it like I have a medical condition.
We all just talk around it, lest we offend those with whom we share fences.
Thank you, DaisyGrace, for reading and commenting.
My neighbors know I'm a lib. They treat it like I have a medical condition.
We all just talk around it, lest we offend those with whom we share fences.
Thank you, DaisyGrace, for reading and commenting.
27th Apr 2020 4:55pm
same here. we just can't talk about it. everyone looks at me like i'm going to spontaneously combust is my favorite part. ha!
27th Apr 2020 5:15pm
6 months to the opportunity for a return to sanity. Government will always be concerned with government. We are just collateral damage. Perseverance!
27th Apr 2020 8:53pm
I hope it turns around.
One candidate has almost disappeared.
Thanks for reading and commenting.
One candidate has almost disappeared.
Thanks for reading and commenting.
27th Apr 2020 5:18pm
Very relatable spill, jav. You pretty much just summed up why I'm so against the two party system and the prejudices it creates on both sides. To some extent we alienate and segregate ourselves by classing people 'blue' or 'red', 'black' or 'white', etc. As inherent as it is to quickly classify people, I try to avoid those stereotypes. I completely understand your sentiments about touching subjects like politics... I have family members who have belief systems that are radically different than my own, and at times, I feel like the odd one out. I am "blue" to most, in a predominately "red" state as well. My philosophy is simply... kill them with kindness. If that means avoiding those hard topics until we are close enough to be able to discuss them without us feeling like we are threatening each other's world views, so be it. Fundamentally, under all of our pride - we are more similar to the red than we want to believe sometimes :P
Anyway, thanks for getting me thinking... I liked hearing your perspective. I wholeheartedly understand.
Thanks for sharing
-NewB
Anyway, thanks for getting me thinking... I liked hearing your perspective. I wholeheartedly understand.
Thanks for sharing
-NewB
27th Apr 2020 8:47pm
NB...Thanks so much for reading and for your thoughtful comments.
You're right about kindness.
It almost always wins the day.
You're right about kindness.
It almost always wins the day.
27th Apr 2020 5:55pm
Having visited many a state in the area You spill about
(a good friend i made in the Air Force wanted me to go into business with Him in Oklahoma)
i knew immediately i could not live in or near the Bible Belt states. Not because i am a witch or zen Buddhist, but because of how i feel about racism. I grew up with that shit -- being half Okinawan and half white and shortly after a WW effin 2.
But when we must live among and within an area of beliefs not our own,
i feel we must choose carefully our battles over our beliefs and convictions.
i understand this spill all too well
and You have spilled truth, feelings.........well...
thank You for sharing
(a good friend i made in the Air Force wanted me to go into business with Him in Oklahoma)
i knew immediately i could not live in or near the Bible Belt states. Not because i am a witch or zen Buddhist, but because of how i feel about racism. I grew up with that shit -- being half Okinawan and half white and shortly after a WW effin 2.
But when we must live among and within an area of beliefs not our own,
i feel we must choose carefully our battles over our beliefs and convictions.
i understand this spill all too well
and You have spilled truth, feelings.........well...
thank You for sharing
27th Apr 2020 9:03pm
I know what you mean, Tallen.
I like to say I came back here for my aging parents, but I think I just love it here.
Love the place, hate the politics.
I like to say I came back here for my aging parents, but I think I just love it here.
Love the place, hate the politics.
28th Apr 2020 3:57am
One powerful poem J...powerful indeed. Being an Australian I have always been a little perplexed with America...so many Christians who have never actually read Jesus...hey, but I'm just an Aussie atheist lol. Bravo!!!
Cheers...Harry
Cheers...Harry
28th Apr 2020 1:24pm
Thank you, Harry.
We're a big dysfunctional family over here.
I haven't much about it and hope Australia is coping well with the ongoing Corona crisis.
Be safe and well down there.
Thanks again.
J.
We're a big dysfunctional family over here.
I haven't much about it and hope Australia is coping well with the ongoing Corona crisis.
Be safe and well down there.
Thanks again.
J.
29th Apr 2020 7:35am
Thanks J...yeah us and New Zealand both called this a "pandemic" 2 weeks before the WHO...we went into lockdown quick and as such here in Australia we have only had 93 deaths and we are now coming out of our isolation slowly. Stay well up there.
5th May 2020 4:47am
I love this. I've got those blues too, I'm from the Deep South. It can be so difficult..
5th May 2020 1:52pm
Thank you so much for commenting.
I've lived other places, probably better fits, but this is where I grew up and it feels like home.
There are progressives scattered about.
I've lived other places, probably better fits, but this is where I grew up and it feels like home.
There are progressives scattered about.
I lean left but in no way am I a screaming liberal.
I live by a code and pay my bills and try to live a fairly honest life here in New York City.
I admire small town life in the south as a fantasy but know I couldn’t live there with the red state hypocrisy. We do need a third party that draws from both sides. Moderation is the key and that is missing in politics today. Maybe it’s always been missing but covered up better.
Either way, this is an awesome piece of writing and I thank you for having the courage to say these things out loud.
I believe in community and brethren and looking out for the person next door regardless of their political persuasions. Some of the people I get along best with are the people I disagree with but there is a dialogue and humor and humor always save the day.
Like
I live by a code and pay my bills and try to live a fairly honest life here in New York City.
I admire small town life in the south as a fantasy but know I couldn’t live there with the red state hypocrisy. We do need a third party that draws from both sides. Moderation is the key and that is missing in politics today. Maybe it’s always been missing but covered up better.
Either way, this is an awesome piece of writing and I thank you for having the courage to say these things out loud.
I believe in community and brethren and looking out for the person next door regardless of their political persuasions. Some of the people I get along best with are the people I disagree with but there is a dialogue and humor and humor always save the day.
Like
5th May 2020 2:09pm
PoetSpeak, I like your take on this.
I believe there was political compromise back in the day and we were all better off. I sometimes wonder if our country will survive these hard and fast divisions.
Thanks so much for commenting.
J.
I believe there was political compromise back in the day and we were all better off. I sometimes wonder if our country will survive these hard and fast divisions.
Thanks so much for commenting.
J.
