avatarJane Harris

Summary

The text is a poignant reflection on the modern societal malaise, where unaddressed grievances and manipulative online rhetoric lead to internal turmoil and societal division.

Abstract

"The Chaos Makers" is a poetic exploration of the collective pain and anger that pervade society, exacerbated by the proliferation of misinformation and divisive narratives on the Internet. The author likens the searing pain of hot tea to the deeper, internal wounds caused by unresolved complaints and injustices, which are often ignored or mislabeled. The poem suggests that people are purchasing 'putrid rage' from online sources, which sell lies and half-truths, potentially leading to self-destruction. The poem questions whether the purveyors of this chaos are aware of the harm they cause, as they watch society turn against itself, fighting phantom enemies. The author concludes by emphasizing the invisible scars left by this societal discord.

Opinions

  • The author believes that society is suffering from unaddressed emotional and societal issues, which are compounded by online misinformation.
  • There is a sense of betrayal and manipulation by those who claim to be allies but are actually selling 'septic lies' that harm the community.
  • The poem implies that the 'chaos makers' are aware of the discord they sow and may even find amusement in the resulting societal strife.
  • The author suggests that the true enemy is not external but the internal conflict fueled by the consumption of divisive online content.
  • The text conveys a warning about the dangers of unchecked anger and the importance of recognizing the sources of societal discord to prevent self-inflicted harm.

The Chaos Makers

Poetry

Photo: Black Tea, Taken By The Author. Credit Jane Harris

Our hands shake hot tea burns our skin but that’s not all that scorches us or makes the blisters rise

Phantom complaints and injustices resonate with a dozen real heartbreaks mislabelled, not addressed, contaminating our lives

no doctor in sight

We order putrid rage from online hucksters who claim they love us like sisters and brothers to pitch us septic lies that may kill us and our neighbors without us ever figuring out what makes us sick, or why.

Are the Internet hawkers poisoned too or do they know they sell half-truths?

Do the chaos makers who brewed the stuff laugh at the puppet show we make when they set us at each other’s throats enraged and ready to fight an army of imagined enemies?

Spilled tea burns our skin Our blisters are inside.

Poetry
Activism
Society
Conspiracy Theories
The Lark
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