The Monstrous Truth, poem by Sandy Jeffs
that the world is creeping towards Hitler again
and politicians are hollow men
lies like a dog in the corner.
The monstrous truth
that innocent people
are at the mercy of narcissistic leaders
lies like a dog in the corner.
The monstrous truth
that the land of the free is the land of mass killings
and the gun lobby’s silence condones it
lies like a dog in the corner.
The monstrous truth
that indigenous people are suffering
and we turn a blind eye
lies like a dog in the corner.
The monstrous truth
that asylum seekers and refugees are languishing in concentration camps
and our politicians gloat about stopping the fucking boats
lies like a dog in the corner.
The monstrous truth
that the Market is self-serving
to protect the vast wealth of its shareholders
lies like a dog in the corner.
The monstrous truth
that the legion of poor is growing
while the fat cats get richer
lies like a dog in the corner.
The monstrous truth
that the mad are homeless, in jail and abandoned
and public psych wards are a living hell
lies like a dog in the corner.
The monstrous truth
that neo liberalism spreads the lie
there is no society, only individuals
lies like a dog in the corner.
The monstrous truth
that we have been seduced by the cult of celebrity
and we go to worship at their altar like a flock of mindless sheep
lies like a dog in the corner.
The monstrous truth
that the world is on the brink
while Trump and Kim Jong-Un hurl grenades at each other
lies like a dog in the corner.
The monstrous truth
that in a Trumpian world
honest journalism has been demonised as fake news
lies like a dog the corner.
The monstrous truth
that the no voters say they are the victims when gays have been
criminalised, psychiatrised, brutalised, victimised and ostracised
lies like a dog in the corner.
The monstrous truth
that the gay community is forced to beg for equal rights
because politicians are too gutless to act
lies like a dog in the corner.
The monstrous truth
that 1 in 3 women experience domestic violence
and a woman is murdered every week by an intimate partner
lies like a dog in the corner.
The monstrous truth
that 1 in 3 hetero marriages ends in divorce
while the church bangs on about the sanctity of marriage
lies like a dog in the corner.
The monstrous truth
that rape used as a weapon in war
is patriarchal power and humiliation
lies like a dog in the corner.
The monstrous truth
that we look in the mirror and never see
a sexist, racist, homophobic bigot
lies like a dog in the corner.
The monstrous truth
that the banality of evil Hannah Arendt saw on Eichmann’s face
represents the long insidious progression of human wickedness
lies like a dog in the corner.
The monstrous truth
that Google knows what we search, Amazon knows what we buy
and Facebook knows who our friends are
lies like a dog in the corner.
The monstrous truth
that before despair fed on despair
hope once fed on hope
lies like a dog in the corner.
The monstrous truth
that the world is Bedlam
and psychopaths are in control
lies like a dog in the corner.
The monstrous truth
that poets and artists are the first casualties
of totalitarian regimes
lies like a dog in the corner.
The monstrous truth
that those too close to the monstrous truth
will never see it
lies like a dog in the corner.
The monstrous truth
lies like a mangy, flea-bitten, rabid dog in the corner.
Sandy Jeffs has published 7 volumes of poetry which includes Chiaroscuro (Black Pepper) and The Mad Poet’s Tea Party (Spinifex Press) published in 2015. Much of Sandy’s writing has been about living with schizophrenia which she wrote about in detail in her memoir Flying with Paper Wings (The Vulgar Press). Sandy has been an advocate for mental health for many years and speaks to community groups, school and university students, and clinicians about what it is like to live with a mental illness. Sandy is currently writing an oral history of Larundel Psychiatric Hospital.
© Sandy Jeffs