America is the Titanic (Poem)

I originally wrote this a couple months into the “peak” of the Pandemic. I never published it because I am self-conscious about my creative writing, but I’m trying to break out of that, so I figured I’d bring it out of the vault.

America is the Titanic.

Best in the world, we say.

Unsinkable, we say.

Too wealthy to ever falter, we say.

America is the Titanic.

Captained by a crew consumed by pride.

Too ignorant to abide by the warnings of other ships -

full steam ahead through icy tides.

America is the Titanic.

Colliding with an invisible iceberg.

Downplaying the significance through false omnipotence - hiding in ignorance.

America is the Titanic.

Not enough lifeboats because those who vote say our safety nets are strong enough.

Silencing those who call the bluff.

America is the Titanic.

Slowly sinking into infected waters.

Putting the first class first.

Saving the rich to put the poor in a hearse.

America is the Titanic.

Sparing the children so someone can tell

the story of how the unsinkable ship sank to hell.