right hand pointing

 

     
  Go Ahead...Shoot!

R. T. Castleberry

 

 


Morning streets are lined
with sculpted hedge and cracked sidewalk,
storm clutter of leaves, grass clippings,
trash bits jettisoned from parked cars.
Students cruise, slack and self-possessed,
unconcerned in the rain.
As I pass by with umbrella and London Fog
one kid catches my eye-
baggy tee tagged
with ½ inch cursive wisdom:
"Fuck
Society."
I marvel.
Then I whisper to myself:
Every system has a victim.
Every victim has a creed.
Be warned.
Society will fuck you back.

 

 

 

  

A writer, wit and social critic, R.T. Castleberry has published work both nationally and internationally, most notably in Another Chicago Magazine, Poet Lore, Borderlands, Concho River Review, Illya's Honey, Common Ground Review, Snake Nation Press and Pacific Review. He is co-editor of Curbside Review poetry journal  and associate poetry editor of the online literary journal, Ardent .  The above poem marks the debut of the f-word in Right Hand Pointing.