As I woke up this morning still trying to process yesterday’s invasion of Ukraine, I realized only two things could help me cope…protest music and writing. This is what came out. (Content warning: language)

this is the way the world ends
no bangs no whimpers
just all of us on our knees
praying to a god to make it stop
as if god wanted it all in the first place
as if a magic incantation
could change the minds of madmen
and drain the pocketbooks of
the ones who profit from death
and cheer on the sidelines
for the corpses to carry forth
the battle for their almighty mammon
the masters of war
trading their redemption
for baubles and trinkets
while banging gongs
and clanging cymbals
echo across the plains of megiddo

this is the way the world ends
thy kingdom come thy will be done
the blood of abel
oozing from the swamps
of moscow and mar-a-lago
as patriarchs and priests and pastors
line up at the merch table
to buy their sacrifices
and diversify their portfolios
while we sang dirges in the dark

this is the way the world ends
no bangs no whimpers
just desperate prayers
because what the fuck else
are we supposed to do
with these tickets we bought
at the edge of darkness
come on you holy rollers
come on you hucksters of god
the revolution will not be televised
without commercial interruptions

this is the way the world ends
why is it taking so long