Means nothing to me

I am in a strange world

In a strange land

People’s mouths move

And I hear a sort of static

 

There is a subtext

There’s all that people don’t say

Won’t say

Can’t say

The fear grips them

Fear

Of economic security

Of offending

Of not being “nice”

Of being seen as “out of control”

Pushy, domineering

Things don’t get said

And yet messages fly at us

"I’m angry..."

"You’re not measuring up..."

"You have fallen short..."

Smiles plastered on faces

While teeth are grit

And spit is forming

That will never, ever be spat out

Would be uncouth

Uncivilized

To be real

Unheard of

To speak your mind

Dangerous

To feel it and say it

In the moment

Spilling out all your venom

All your mistrust

All your doubts

Have to look…cool

As a cucumber

On top of it…

Like Madonna

Competent and know it all

Because

I don’t know

Isn’t supposed to be in your vocabulary

Not, that is,

If it’s boss that’s asking you.

Sad, really.

All this fear people are stewing in

While they pretend to be

Your friend, your ally.

Sad we put up with it

To feed our kids

And keep shoes on their feet

And the tuitions of private schools paid.

The incarceration goes even to the highest levels.

The letters C-E-O don’t free you up either.

There are shareholders to perform for.

And still your job

Could be whisked away at any time.

It’s a joke.

Janis spoke a truth that

Is absolute--

“Freedom’s just another word for

“nothing left to lose”.

Freedom is also another word for

“ ‘all this’ (now look around you)

Means nothing

To me.”