For Whom the Sun Always Shines

From velvet dark skies
The silhouette of an owl
Resting on a branch Iluminated by the moon And the stars, emerges
As a black cat
Saunters across
A well-manicured lawn
Nonchalantly.

Sounds of nocturnal creatures
Unknown and unseen
Rustle, shriek, bark, howl, hiss
Slither, crawl, claw, and gnaw
Their way through
Arable lands with bountiful vegetation.

While sandflies and mosquitoes bite
Viciously, leaving bumps and apertures
That itch, bleed, and ache -
Citronella candles flicker
As gusts of winds threaten
To extinguish their light,
But not their pungent aroma
Luring moths to the flames In a fatal tryst.

Lights are turned off
In most houses
But a few homes
Have porch lights
Illuminated driveways and lawns
Few streetlights exist.

The night’s few hours break
The spell of darkness
As streaks of light
Dash across the horizon
Rapidly changing hues
As the sun begins to rise.

A few clouds clump
Like codependents
Afraid to break free
Of their parasitic relationships
Gas agitated and moving
In random motion amongst
Flecks of dust as
Morning sunshine comes …

Rising from the East
Through the windows
Like a beam of headlights
Invading every corner
Revealing every crevice
Awakening those who slumber
Under reflections and
Refractions of scintillated
Light energy.

The blessing of the day
Awakening of the conscious minds
Breaking the nocturnal fast
Devouring breakfast
Bathing and getting ready
To greet the blessing of this day.

Off to jobs that matter, or not
To those toiling to enjoy
A mere slice of leftover
Carcasses of American Pie
Stale, moldy, and slathered
With salivary amylase
That dripped
From the mouths
Of the wealthy.

Just the thought of
What it might be like
To earn more than
Those who came before
Who had no choice, but
To accept the meager scraps
From the tables of joy
In big houses surrounded
Secured by white picket fences.

Not In My Back Yard
Mentalities coined
In blue ribbon schools
And country day schools
Preparatories as incubators
With small class sizes
Filled with the offspring
Of élite trust fund
Babies born with silver spoons.

Posh neighborhoods
Shrouded by trees
Centuries old mansions
Great walking scores
No public transportation
Beautifully landscaped
Town greens
No sidewalks
Only bikepaths.

And trails along greenways
Tennis courts and inground pools
Giving way to pickle ball courts
And helicopter landing strips
Three-car garages
Circular driveways.

Gated communities
Remote and still Flora and fauna
Quiet, except for
The pinging of pickle balls
The roar of leaf blowers.

Lawnmowers
Snowblowers
On estates on cul de sacs.
Luxury cars at Starbucks
On main streets
Queue Around the coffee havens
Like boa constrictors
Out of sync
With antique stores
Flower shops, ice cream parlors
And general goods stores.

Farmers’ markets
Country clubs
Yacht clubs
Golf courses
Boarding Schools
Historic buildings.

Located only near
To those who are
Blessed with so much
Money and prestige
They never have to
Ask about the prices
They just ask for what
They want, but often
Do not need.

Because with too much
Money, comes
Too much greed
Nothing worthwhile
Remaining for
Those in dire need
Awaiting blessings
Which never come
Because of the bell and gong.

The bells that only toll
When it’s time for
Wedding bans
To be read
A christening
Wedding
Or funeral
Or a Call to Prayer
On the Sabbath, or gong for dinnertime.

Bells toll
Reminding the “faithful”
To pray or repent
For lives spent idly
Or lives spent
Ekeing out an existence
As cogs in the wheels
Of financial windfalls
Sadly.

So that the
Well-heeled
Could congratulate
Themselves on
As many occasions
That money could
Buy luxury items
That could feed Nations.

But with nary
A care for the
Welfare of others
Once their own
Bellies were full
And their every need
Sated without
Being debated on Lies surrounding …

Trickle down economics
Which Toeffler
Would agree
Never could serve
Nor satify
The needs of
The poor
Eating dirt
Not from the Piggly Wiggly.

But right from infront of the doors
Of the have mores, sad to say, the rich will
Cry bitter tears on doomsday
And as for the poor, and faithful
And their devout offerings?
They shall inherit the earth!