The daily duel
by Elouise
The seesaw goes up
And comes down hard on
One side or the other
A dueling match of warlike disproportions
A daily photo-op of humanity battling
Between visions of more or less
We’ve become hoarders of perks
Not earned by our color or
Lack thereof and certainly not
By our intellectual capacities
Or ability to play the stock market
What would it take I wonder
For us to lay down our perks
And deal with harsh kickback that
Wants to wrestle us
To the bottom of the swamp
Consigned to ignominious outcomes
Reserved for those not like us
If there’s an uneven slant in this poem, that’s because the US is not a balanced nation. Reapers of perks and privilege not earned are still basking in the sunshine of self-glory. Yes, President Joe Biden won the 2020 Election. Yet powers that sought to undo the 2020 Election are already marshalling for battle.
Am I prepared to pay the cost of laying down my white female perks? Sadly, most of my other-than-white friends don’t have this option. And many churches that claim to be following Jesus don’t remember what this looks like in real life.
Still, the question isn’t about them. It’s about me. Am I ready? Our contentious post-2020 Election season was just the beginning. Aided and abetted by four years of swampy (non)leadership to and from the bottom, not the top.
It won’t help if I try to take down the Big Guys and Big Gals who threaten to undo us. This isn’t a game of seesaw. It’s about real life and real people in real time. Plus my willingness to join new ways to level the playing field. One small bit at a time.
Happy Friday to each of you.
Elouise♥
© Elouise Renich Fraser, 29 January 2020
Photo found at Pixabay.com
Telling the Truth 
I lean more toward lifting others up than giving up what I’ve earned. I’ve worked hard and made sacrifices and while things haven’t always gone my way, I realize the world isn’t fair, and it never will be… But I can’t think of a world more unfair than a few hundred people in one city, who are beholden to the ultra-wealthy for reelection purposes, to be the nation’s fairness decider for the average Joe or Jane.
I’ll place my faith and my efforts at lifting others up on a more substantial foundation.
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Hi, Matt. Thanks for your comment. I think each of us must make decisions based on our situation. It isn’t just about money. It’s about age, abilities, health, background, etc. It does mean giving up something–time, effort, goods or services, etc. Not just once, but as often as we’re able. Which, strangely, leaves room for us to receive something we need. There’s no magic solution, especially if we don’t believe we ourselves are equally needy. This isn’t a one-way street. I don’t see another way of getting to the substantial foundation you rightly point to. Wishing you well in your own journey.
Elouise
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