I woke in the middle of the night with the germ of this poem circling inside my head. I got up and sketched the bare bones in the light of a street lamp.
HOW TO CORRUPT YOUR COUNTRY
start with the teachers. Make them mouth your new lies. Fashion the curriculum until it mirrors your twisted logic and hate is triumphant
control the media. This goes without saying. Pass laws that make truth telling illegal.
silence all who dare to disagree. Show trials can be effective, as can framing the innocent. If this fails fall back on the death squads.
have neighbour inform on neighbour, brother on sister. Offer incentives to ensure that none will know who they can trust.
once all this is achieved, begin to purge those closest to you. The corruption you have condoned will provide real evidence.
try to sleep at night, if you can.
It is an angry poem. How many times have individuals sought to destroy democracy? Probably since we invented democracies. This is a work in progress. I worry it is too hectoring, far too much tell and not enough show. Plus it is essentially a list poem and it is difficult to pull off a list poem without it sounding simply a list!
Iron and Wine have a new album out, Hen's Teeth, a great title.
Until next time.
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