If there was any consolation to Scott

he had

a secret ambition

that he kept inside his shirt pocket

like a baby bird.

He fed it

worms of disgust

that ate

his rotten days

like corpses

that could no longer smile.

The worms lived in those days

and his baby bird was well fed.

Everybody wants to be a leader

to press the button.

Significance

at the end of a finger

like a sliver

pulled out

and worthless.

Scott decided Not

to be a leader.

There was too much trickery involved

All of them were servants

for the greater good.

That meant

they had to scrub the toilets

and clean the carpets.

If he protested

the actual leader

would say, “Don’t you want to be a leader?”

He was dressed in an expensive suit

and spoke to 500 people.

After his speech

he kept his distance

from the average man

but accepted the praise

of 80% of the women.

Scott fed his bird.

The leaders offered significance

to the crowd like candy

and had 99% of mankind.

The 1%

cannot be controlled.

They are dangerous

because they are useless.

Their significance comes from

strange

misunderstood things.

HR

is suspicious

of this employee

Never Employee of the Month

Always

on time.

Scott’s bird

cannot fly. It’s paralyzed by fear

and taken care-of by Scott. It has no worldly purpose.

“Don’t you believe in the fight?” His neighbor asked him, while

spraying his black BMW

with his green garden hose.

“I guess I do,” Scott said.

“History doesn’t make sense

without leaders, but I hope they both lose.”

The vultures circled overhead

while Scott fed his bird.

It’s easy to die

and difficult to live.

The birds are quiet now

Something has silenced their song

The worms devour the days

while Scott smiles.

Why is he still happy?