Corporations
Kari enjoys writing poetry. There is a certain freedom in poetry because you don't always have to follow the rules.
We, the People
"We, the people”—not we, the white people—not we, the citizens, or the legal voters—not we, the privileged class, and excluding all other classes, but we, the people; not we, the horses and cattle, but we, the people—the men and women, the human inhabitants of the United States, do ordain and establish this Constitution, etc."
Frederick Douglass
You Are Not Human
You are not like me.
You do not have a heart
(Nor compassion or mercy).
You do not represent humanity.
Humanity made you
Then you took control.
Still, you are not like me.
You never had a toothache.
You never were sick.
You have never been "down and out".
You are never homeless.
You never took out a paycheck loan.
You want.
In fact, you want excessively.
You threaten and intimidate the real us.
You will never go to jail.
You think you are indestructible,
But even the Sphinx lost face.
You have never had a drink.
You have never had a drink,
Refreshingly cool,
After a day of labor.
You have never been rendered speechless
By the incredible clarity of art.
You have never seen art.
You have never jumped
To make the shot while in the zone.
You have never been in the zone.
All these are human doings,
Relationships, and love.
You have never had one.
You are not a human.
I am a human.
But, I work for you.
You are not a human.
You have never had a love,
You have never cared.
You are not a human
You are not a human.
The law claims you are a "person".
But, you are not human.
How can you be a person?
if you are not human?
Aren't all people human?
Or, was it all humans are people?
It’s the riddle of the century
That some "persons" are not human.
You are not human.
But you pollute.
You sacrifice nature.
You do not care if
Humans can't drink the water,
Or breathe the air.
You are not human.
You don't drink.
You don't breathe.
You are not human.
So, how can you
Be a "person".
You are not invested enough,
You have nothing to lose,
You have no love.
You are not human
You do not answer to humanity.
You are not human.
Then why are you a person?
We are human
And, we are people.
Who are these others?
We, the real people,
Are confused. Are
We real? Do we matter?
You claim personhood
As if being a person
Is something you may assign.
You are not human
You will never be human,
Much less humane.
You are a user.
You use humans
To make you rich
You may have a bank account
But how? Can a dog have an account?
You are not a human.
Every decade humans
make less
While you make more.
You treat us as slaves
To be pushed about
But, you are not human.
You were not made in God's image.
You are cold and sterile
Yet you act as God to humans.
Our government is run
For the people, by the people,
But now you are the "person"
Our government is for.
© 2020 Kari Poulsen