The beast has many bellies
The beast has many eyes
But does not have a single ear
To hear the children’s cries
The beast has certain methods
For entering our heads
For trampling on our spirits
And leaving them for dead
It sells us worthless trinkets
And artificial dreams
It hijacks our tomorrows
With twisted scams and schemes
It threatens and intimidates
To silence all our voices
While chillingly intoning that
There are no other choices!
The beast is always famished
Lucre’s what it eats
It finds the pennies of the poor
Particularly sweet
And when old people die of cold
And infants starve to death
The gorging beast feels not a twinge
Of sorrow or regret
The beast has many bellies
The beast has many eyes
But does not have a beating heart
To heed the children’s cries
Buff Whitman-Bradley is the author of four books of poetry, b. eagle, poet; The Honey Philosophies; Realpolitik; and When Compasses Grow Old; and the chapbook, Everything Wakes Up! His poetry has appeared in many print and online journals. He is also co-editor, with Cynthia Whitman-Bradley and Sarah Lazare, of the book About Face: Military Resisters Turn Against War. He has co-produced/directed two documentary films, the award-winning Outside In (with Cynthia Whitman-Bradley) and Por Que Venimos (with the MIRC Film Collective). He lives in northern California.