Jonathan Berger's Poetry: Poem of the Day
Archived 'pieces'
Where to find 'more'
TOIL AND TROUBLE

Sweeping the rubble
like pissing into the inferno
or dusting a pig sty
or killing a locust
is wasteful practice.

It helps the condition not at all.

Sweeping the rubble barely pokes at the toe of the creature
who did this
who allowed this travesty of life to occur.

Sweeping the rubble
is ass-backwards
retroactive hoping to stop
a bubbling pot.

Sweeping the rubble is barn-closing,
post-bovine liberation
the ramparts stormed,
sweeping the rubble is a sentry's warning.

And it's stupid, and it's dumb
so I ask you, stop this thing,
that you have done for these past three hours
quit this sweeping of the rubble.