you need a happy puppet?
who am i to decline such a request
let me entertain your denial
since it will cost me nothing but my humanity
i’ll lavish you with a smile worthy of those hyperbolic tooth-whitening ads
all my teeth, even the plastic one
that pops out when the vacuum doesn’t hold
soon i’ll be all plastic
away with my heart
and justice – she’ll have to close her eyes
for this part
and end her urgent rapping at the doors
of my better judgement
grin, elbow up, elbow down, slow rotation of my dead-eyed head
farcical daily horror of the precariat you need a happy puppet?
who am i to decline such a request
let me entertain your denial
since it will cost me nothing but my humanity
i’ll lavish you with a smile worthy of those hyperbolic tooth-whitening ads
all my teeth, even the plastic one
that pops out when the vacuum doesn’t hold
soon i’ll be all plastic
away with my heart
and justice – she’ll have to close her eyes
for this part
and end her urgent rapping at the doors
of my better judgement
grin, elbow up, elbow down, slow rotation of my dead-eyed head
farcical daily horror of the precariat
Nava Flew lives in Cape Town writes poetry that addresses issues of social injustice from her humble perspective.