Floor Plans

inspired by R.E.'s masterpiece "Rise Rockwell..."

Floor Plans

 

 

 

steadfast architects

of Liberty Bell cracks

insane tolls

and roll calls

of M.I.A.'s

and coffins wrapped in Old Glory

as New Glory surfaces in the ghettos

and stilettos walking the darkest streets

of a side of America that resembles

burnt toast,

scrambled lives

 

steadfast architects

of oil paintings, colors running

because of too much black gold

liquid dripping from bleached white eyes

when lives are suspended in wars

because refineries replace farms

and Malls replace stalls

of dairy cows that no longer pay the mortgage

 

as the land dries up

and milk money

is a few bucks panhandled

in front of a now-vacant mom and pop grocery

 

steadfast architects

line their pockets

with cold sentiment

wear extra coats while others freeze in the streets

of indigent wardrobe

while high rise egos

nest in thrones 

their crowns made of microwaved empathy

that is done in a flash

and then done in a flash

 

steadfast architects

live in mansions of insulated heart

built of their own heartless endeavors

 

they rule

they build

they destroy

they employ

self-made genius

too stupid to understand

their perfect life planned

 

is doomed to fall

when the steadfast architects

raze their own world

and find the playing field

finally leveled

 

then will have their hand out

for a handout.

 

 

erin-cilberto

8/31/19

Reviews

[Chris Shaw]

Somewhere along the way old values have been lost. Progress I ask myself but at what cost. When materialism has taken over and greed set in and black gold speaks volumes. Not everyone has made America what it is. The architects are the ones with power, the ones with vast wealth. They should build for everyone but they don't. For many the planning stage never gets off the ground. Too many are left behind. Powerful write Jacob.

Chris

[jacob erin-cilberto]

thank you for your insightful words, Chris..
j.

[Kay]

Very nicely written! From beginning to end, I could imagine this being spoken on stage with powerful emphasis on particular words or phrases, and meaningful pauses to drive home the statements.. Have you considered presenting at poetry readings?

Fantastic line: "their crowns made of microwaved empathy".

[jacob erin-cilberto]

thank you for your kind words, Kay...and actually for years i have done a duet with a pretty well renowned Clarinetist, Eric Mandat. we do a blues poetry kind of thing...been a wonderful experience...did some pbs shows and had our own half hour special...so yes...his playing really livened up what i had written.
thank you,
j.

[Patricia Wedel]

Yes, we are the Architects of America... at least we had the opportunity to vote for them.
Politicians had too much too soon... reaching for the Moon. Even yesterday and today... willing to wait
to build a wall... or build apartments for the Immigrants to live and raise their families... willing to let them live on the streets and die in inclement weather... when they were elected and paid well to do something. Is it too late.

[jacob erin-cilberto]

it's a mess...thank you for your insightful review, Pat.
j.

[Dhaye]

Changes. Changes mean progress. But as people replace the old things with the modern ones, they become heartless and inconsiderate.
Too many can relate here even in simple sjtuations at home. Great write, sir j!

[jacob erin-cilberto]

thank you for your insightful words, Dhaye,
j.

[Eilis]

Microwaved empathy. That’s an inspired description, Jacob. I read this earlier but needed to let it swirl around and sink in a little.

I live in the south where some say we never fully recovered from the losses as a result of the Civil War. I think there are places like that all over America where some difficulty has caused a rift in the health of a community and things have just never come back around.

It’s such a complicated mix of factors that has been for so long oversimplified. No single policy can fix the labyrinth of problems faced by people living in economic dire straits. Education is poor and opportunity is hard to come by. But still somehow we are told those who are unable to get ahead are personally responsible for all of their hardships. That’s the easy answer, of course, but not the honest one.

Power and greed are powerful motivators. And they so often lead to needless suffering. I do hope those ‘steadfast architects’ one day understand the damage they’ve done. I just fear they will find it too easy to blame someone else as they have always done.

Strong work here. Important ideas.

[jacob erin-cilberto]

power and greed, needless suffering..absolutely, Eilis...thank you for your insightful review...and yes, the Civil War even today, still repercussions...and the idea of brother against brother...and the devastation from a war with two sides fighting for what they believed in...
Tore a country in half...and those halves still exit in more ways than one.
War, greed, all poisonous.
thank you for your visit and sharing your thoughts.
j.

[Julie McCarthy (juliesp..]

As usual I love this Jacob your poems are so incredibly deep and wonderful. I never cease to be amazed with your new writes!

[jacob erin-cilberto]

thank you for your kind words, Julie.
j.

[Julie McCarthy (juliespenhere)]

Not kind just true

[Dave]

Jacob what a dismal, but enlightening picture you portray. The "super haves" so not carrying about or even knowing there are others so forgotten on the economic scale. Surely there has got to eventually be a day of recompense when the "playing field" is at last evened out.

Take care - Dave

[jacob erin-cilberto]

i hope you are right, Dave...i really do.
thank you for your words,
j.

[R.E. Ray]

Such striking images and statements, J. I read this poem twice, and I could see the Chicago and Memphis ghettos, and the Mississippi Delta, overflowing cotton fields, and feel the weight of our history, well-intended and somehow strayed way off course. It seems all nations experience a rise and the fall, and history is screaming for our attention. An exceptional poem!

[jacob erin-cilberto]

thank you for your very kind review, and especially for the inspiration to write this.
j.

[R.E. Ray]

My pleasure, sir.

[John Alexander McFadyen]

Ah a mix of regret at the past history and the exploit of American values for commercial gain. The creation of a glass and steel facade to hide the poverty and the suffering. I really don't think they will live to regret it as they are so insulated in their multi layered coats.

[jacob erin-cilberto]

thank you for your words, John,
j.