THE HONED TRUTH OF
THE AXES OF TAXES
Take down your freedom mask and leave it behind you.
litter the street
with every delusion and illusion
you ever formed of your own greatness.
Jump from the plastic garbage bag
that is full of the self-deceit
of plastic extruded ideas of grandeur
and fondle a flowers natural color
with the eyes you have recently unbound
from the thought that you own anything.
Look at the deed to the land you stand on.
It is a lie from the day you moved on to it
Until the day you take your last breath and die.
When that tax bill comes poking hot irons into those eyes
proving you’re nothing more than a tenant
allowed to live on soil the masters said you could yearly
rent it
Do not hate the centuries of deceit
or the new found knowledge of serfdom.
You may disregard the bill come due
once you realize it is only shelter you have to lose,
or you could pay and live on it still.
That is until the bill collectors
come and take it away anyway.
A man’s home is his castle
but even when the debt for its due is fully paid
you are still owing a yearly bill
that allows you to remain until
they hit you with eminent domain.
Oh how sweet it would be to say
“This land is mine and no man
or government can take it away!”
Truth be told is the tax schemes are lies
We tell ourselves we have achieved the American Dream.
© M Durfee
8/3/13
GRAVE VOICES
Gunshots; this time I saw the muzzle flashes. I didn’t know
why I was being shot at but unfortunately a bullet travels hypersonic and neither
my wit nor vision is that good. Can anyone explain to the blood splatter that
is all that remains of me what the situation was that I had to die?
© M Durfee
8/3/13
Alright I will admit that I missed Friday and this is
Saturday but it still is a 55 word unanswerable question for the GREAT &GRACIOUS G-MAN who may forgive my tardiness. This is a simple comment on how
violent of a world society we have become. I think about the why’s of this a
lot and I have answers that at best are only partial.
Lot to think about here. Obviously, you can't take it with you and for sure you don't own the ground you stand on. Then again, neither does the government. The Indians had that figured out a long time ago. Love the 55.
ReplyDeleteThat's true Carleton. I just got my damn tax bill and my house they will take because we have taken good care of it for 25 years.
DeletePaid off house and am glad of it. But if we weren't in it, the forest would reclaim it soon enough. I doubt that the government much cares about this island. The trees and vines would not be benevolent but simply reclaim what was theirs.
ReplyDeletelot to ponder in that first one...owning anything is a joke, they still extract their pound and if they want it bad enough they will take it from you one way or another....pretty sad when you dont even know why you were shot...surely there was a good reason...because they could or cared less maybe...
ReplyDeleteGreat 55. AS for the poem, indeed. Tenants all.
ReplyDeleteYeah...You was in the way!
ReplyDeleteMark, I'm very grateful to have Blog friends such as you.
You have supported me for years, and you encourage other
writers. There's a place in Heaven for you Brother.
If not Heaven, maybe Berkley or Saline...:-)
Loved your Ghostly 55
Thanks for playing, and have a Kick Ass Week-End
Yeah, we really only own the skin we came in. :)
ReplyDeleteThe 55...it's hard to realize we honor our guns more than our people.
I am still paying for my real estate taxes, ha ~ All these
ReplyDeletetaxes are heavy on the pockets Mark, the price of living & dying
later on ~
Have a good weekend ~
Perpetually indentured to the perpetually entitled.
ReplyDeleteMiddle (class)? None
ALOHA from Honolulu
Comfort Spiral
~ > < } } ( ° > <3
The myth of freedom... good thoughts, Walking Man.
ReplyDeleteTake down your freedom mask and leave it behind you.
ReplyDeletelitter the street with every delusion and illusion
you ever formed of your own greatness.
There is no freedom.
The entire poem is intense... and true. Yes, even if the house is fully paid for, if you don't pay your annual taxes... It's mindboggling and so frustrating.
"Grave Voices" hold another truth. Excellent flash!
Mark, We are taxed to death but I am grateful to be able to pay them. I still hate it and it's a travesty! xo
ReplyDelete