idols

“Their idols are silver and gold,
    the work of human hands.
They have mouths, but do not speak;
    eyes, but do not see.
They have ears, but do not hear;
    noses, but do not smell.
They have hands, but do not feel;
    feet, but do not walk;
    they make no sound in their throats.” Psalm 115:4-7

the politicians speak

   but only empty words emerge;

the high-powered open their eyes,

   and look past the vulnerable;

the autocrats listen to each other,

   but never to the needy;

the ones at the top

   never reach down

   to lift the fallen;

the well-known have feet,

   but never cross the street

   to welcome a stranger;

and we continue

to idolize them all when

we do not call them

to account

© 2019 Thom M. Shuman