by Jim Burns
with echoes of Buffalo Springfield
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AI-generated graphic by Shutterstock for The New Verse News. |
it can’t happen here
they say
and go on
with their day,
but are they sure,
do they remember a time
way back in their prime
when they raised voices and sang
that something’s happening here,
it’s not exactly clear,
but we’d better beware
and look what’s goin’ down
what’s that sound,
it ain’t exactly clear,
but something for sure
is happening here,
the Constitution, institutions,
are biting the dust,
like used up metal
they’ll dissolve into rust
while we whistle
in the dark,
take a walk
in the park,
say it’ll be alright
and forget
that what follows
the dark
is the night
Jim Burns was born and raised in rural Indiana, received degrees from Indiana State University and Indiana University, and spent most of his working life as a librarian. After retirement he turned to an earlier love of writing and has been fortunate to have seen over 20 of his poems and prose published either online or in print. He lives with his wife and dog in Jacksonville, Florida.
