Misanthropy Embarrassed

When it comes down to it, though I am hyper critical of our current state, ultimately I have some level of faith and hope in humanity.  My misanthropy is embarrassed. It’s the greatest curse I’ve been given, serious pandora shit. It was there before the kids, visions of a kinder gentler me, massage, yoga, health food, but the kids sealed it.  It’s bad form to seed where you know they mow without a strategy to fuck up the machinery.

Out beyond these dogmas,
right left ideologies,
there is a field. I’ll meet you there.

A large part of this work, this parenting/radical urban planning that I’m attempting to influence, is rooted in a mandate to live a mutually beneficial life without recourse to dogma, religion, or ideology.  This stems not from ego or moral superiority, but rather the realization that, due to my choices and the current state of Detroit, my future, and my children’s future, though admittedly privileged, are interwoven with Blackness and poverty.

In the tall grass, overcome,
the world wide within,
one and all, no kingdoms to control.

It doesn’t have to be that way?  Due to my work I’m extremely aware of how passive/non-critical racial spacial integration and economic status without self-awareness can put one in service to corporate domination and white supremacy.  Aspects of this service are mandatory with a pulse in this place, but there’s room for some ethical/moral play.  It doesn’t have to be this way, but if it were not it would be the other, and I’ll no longer lend my silence in service to that.

Paradise rekindled,
struck between eye for eye
and you and me.

I’ve sold my soul a few times and still rest my head as required in beds made.  Recently, I’ve tried to set a better example and keep those in my care off the ledger all together.  For me, this is what an active approach to transition looks like; a somewhat calculated attempted decent from hyper/disaster capitalism. There is a method to my madness; cull faith, court hope, and seek solidarity beyond ideology. Abolitionist intent to what end?

Supremacy propped toppled
by blades of grass, trees, water, air
once again proud animals, beings, we.

© EDEN BLOOM 2023

This piece is included in Eden Bloom Eschaton Life