A Human Manifesto

by Belinda Munoz on September 29, 2010

Don’t sell me
false faith
with lies poking through
holes of half-hearted promises

I demand more

Don’t fool me
with weightless worthless words
hollow and resonant
to none other than the non-existent no-ones

I know more

Don’t give me
useless junk
made of cheap chunks
collapsed to pieces by nightfall

I paid for more

Don’t buy me
a new governor
plunking private pots
of dirty dollars on high-priced high-stakes airwaves

I want more

Don’t blind me
with gleaming white teeth
fake and paid for
like they’ve never chewed on black berries before

I seek more

Don’t tell me
Drill, baby, drill
like the earth is yours
to rape and plunder with no consequences

I cry for more

Don’t show me
puffed-up proof
with forged facts and stats
that even Google couldn’t Google

I see more

Don’t give me
crumbs and scraps
like a slap, avoid the trap
obscene luxury on your lap, close the gap

We deserve more

++++++++++++++

I’m back for a third shot with One Shot Wednesday, this time, hosted by Moondustwriter. Click HERE for more poetry.

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September 29, 2010 at 4:35 am

{ 25 comments… read them below or add one }

1 brian September 29, 2010 at 2:42 am

nice….each single line is like a breath between…if i was reading this the long stnaza woul rip fast…then the singles slow…that is just the feel it gives me…nice political references as well…smiles. great one shot.

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2 Gabriela Abalo September 29, 2010 at 4:09 am

“Act as if what you do makes a difference. It does.” ~William James

poignant One Shot – well done :)

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3 Lance September 29, 2010 at 5:48 am

Belinda,
I love this…and especially this part:
Don’t tell me
Drill, baby, drill
like the earth is yours
to rape and plunder with no consequences

I cry for more

So moving to read this all…

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4 Katie September 29, 2010 at 5:57 am

Love it. Full of fire.

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5 TheKitchenWitch September 29, 2010 at 6:00 am

Oooh, you got your mad on this week! Love it. Those teeth you mention…I always call them “teeth too good to be true.” Anchorwoman teeth. :)

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6 Nadia Ballas-Ruta ~ Happy Lotus Lifestyles September 29, 2010 at 8:23 am

Absolutely brilliant, Belinda! I found myself nodding along with you as I read this poem. I agree with every single thing you wrote. I loved it, loved it, loved it!

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7 Giulietta Nardone September 29, 2010 at 9:41 am

Hi Belinda,

I’m sending you an email! Just popped over to take a quick look at the Halfway Point and noticed you had a new excellent poem posted. This one is fantastic too. Maybe a poetry book in the making?

We all tend to write about the same things — our life theme/lesson — and I like yours. This stanza speaks to me a lot because what goes around comes around.

Don’t tell me
Drill, baby, drill
like the earth is yours
to rape and plunder with no consequences

I cry for more

thanks! giulietta

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8 bkmackenzie September 29, 2010 at 9:59 am

when I read this…I thought she must live in CA….and you do…..great write….print it in the Chronicle…and the Bee……better yet….send it to Sacramento….bkm

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9 dustus September 29, 2010 at 10:07 am

“like they’ve never chewed on black berries before” What a great line, as there are many. I’m glad you address the “drill bit” so to speak—well said. “to rape and plunder with no consequences” that is exactly the mentality IMHO. Great poem, Belinda. Glad to see you link up again for One Shot!

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10 Claudia September 29, 2010 at 11:07 am

this was fantastic – yes – we want more – and we are not satisfied with what we see our politicians do – great write!!!

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11 Eric Alder September 29, 2010 at 12:21 pm

Nice One Shot! People just don’t write enough manifestos these days, y’know?
(Although I once wrote a SUPERmanifesto!)

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12 Anthony North September 29, 2010 at 1:33 pm

Powerful words, and great treatment.

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13 Nimue September 29, 2010 at 2:59 pm

amazing post !!! thank you :)

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14 moondustwriter September 29, 2010 at 3:28 pm

Empty promises a foregone conclusion

Great piece addressing political issues

Thanks for linking up with One Shot for #3

Moon smiles

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15 Rudri September 29, 2010 at 5:11 pm

Don’t show me
puffed-up proof
with forged facts and stats
that even Google couldn’t Google

I love this passage. Seems like these days you can get an expert and find statistics to support any meritless claim.

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16 Khakjaan Wessington September 29, 2010 at 5:48 pm

Started off shaky but promising, before collapsing completely in stanzas 5-7 and never regains its former momentum. If you note the pacing, it starts fast, then focuses on tangential metaphors you don’t commit to completing. You start with a complaint-spot, but then never move the poem beyond that. You should ditch all the superfluous stuff and just stick to your best lines–and then drop those that don’t work. Also: “with lies poking through holes of half-hearted promises” is cliche and “Don’t fool me/ with weightless worthless words/hollow and resonant/to none other than the non-existent no-ones” is close enough to cliche to be one; AND is not specific. A wasted stanza, as this was already covered w/ your first stanza.

The rest of the poem is just a laundry list of complaints. So the poetic arc is: “I’m complaining. These are my complaints.” Well, the problem is that it could have been said faster and at least as effectively in prose. This is a seed of a poem, but not really a poem yet.

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17 River September 30, 2010 at 5:55 am

Belinda this poem rocks! I agree with everything you said. You should submit this to a mag like ohh that one thats out east and starts with an O. I can’t recall their name right now.I am happy we have met on here too. :)

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18 Meg September 30, 2010 at 12:20 pm

A great manifesto!

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19 Patti September 30, 2010 at 1:02 pm

Oh, you are a kindred spirit. This “speaks” to me, hitting many of my hot buttons spot on. I’ve written several pieces that seek to gore the same head of oxen you’ve targeted so well here. Excellent One Shot.

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20 Justine September 30, 2010 at 1:38 pm

I love alliteration and hats off to you for this: “with weightless worthless words”

And this?
“Don’t show me
puffed-up proof
with forged facts and stats
that even Google couldn’t Google”

Perfection.

Belinda – I so admire the breadth and depth of the topics you tackle here; it takes someone really special to look past the glossy seduction of materialism and dive into the substances that truly matter.

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21 Chris G. September 30, 2010 at 1:44 pm

Fiery work with a powerful voice. You have a lesson for us all and we would do well to listen. Wonderful work.

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22 Nick Rolynd October 1, 2010 at 7:21 am

I have to say, the rhythm of this piece is breathtaking! Really amazing piece. =)

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23 Shashi October 1, 2010 at 10:23 am

Dear Belinda, it is written so well… poignant.. and beautiful.

ॐ नमः शिवाय
Om Namah Shivaya
Twitter: @VerseEveryDay
Blog:http://shadowdancingwithmind.blogspot.com

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24 Patty - Why Not Start Now? October 1, 2010 at 3:52 pm

Thank you for saying all of this, Belinda. And ESPECIALLY this:

Don’t buy me
a new governor
plunking private pots
of dirty dollars on high-priced high-stakes airwaves

Your poetry scrapes away all the BS. And I am so very sick of Meg.

p.s. What’s with Mr. Wessington?

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25 Sender UpWords October 9, 2010 at 10:12 am

Love this write. I feel every word. Love and Light, Sender

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