The  Promised Land

is  broken

beyond recognition

except

to those who broke it. 

The Land of Opportunity

and Promise

is stuck in an

American nightmare

that feels 

Un-American.

Potential

gets thwarted

by  grievance

and History’s

scar tissue

that  causes

pain cycles

inflicting

injury  again

and again.

Human nature

spirals,

spinning,

repeatedly;

twisting

ourselves

in retrograde motions

trying to make 

progress

that feels like

power. 

Promises 

will always

yield

consequences,

intended or  not. 

Abusers know

that  we’re suckers

for promises;

that  intentions

are spoken

or tweeted

like incantations.

Words

create possibilities.

not probabilities,

and we tend

to forget

that words

require

meeting with

reality.

We seek 

promise

and promises.

And  we 

demand 

consequences

when we

become 

broken.

Then the dust

will settle

for a bit.

I promise.