Escalation — A Poem for Minneapolis, Observing with Sadness from Afar

Escalation

It twists against itself—
the spring-loaded serpent
pushing the bullet
from the cartridge
into the chamber.

Wound in metal—
a charged agenda
unites just enough to divide,
consolidates power
by tightening on targets,
for all can be molded into success
when you shape the narrative.

But there is also a natural spiral
of escalating resistance—
when you extinguish a poet
some protesters might carry the alleged 9mm,
when you terminate a nurse
the fuse has almost burnt out,
and ice will meet the people’s fire,
having doused the streets
with the accelerant of death.