in ancient time
voting meant
deciding
your own
action
and fate

local citizens
cast their votes
to protect their
immediate environment
and then
stood up
to fight

modern day leaders
send soldiers
to battle
young men and women
sacrificed
in the name of freedom

killing for money
doesn’t come easy
motivation is
drummed up in
dehumanizing
hate speech

many come home
in boxes
or missing
in action
families grieving
dignity claimed
by justifying the cause

someone today said:
democracy itself
is taking
some kind of
suicidal action

I have to agree

purchased candidates
managed elections
voter fraud
delegates of
normal and superior
power

the vote
separated by
layer upon layer
of obstruction
from its impact

voting population
a tiny minority
who have something
to gain

some say
election is rigged

some say
my vote don’t count

sometimes
that is literally true
when bags of ballots
are found in closets

in my community
where we decide
through cumbersome
consensus

we strive for decisions
where everyone
matters
dissent means discussion
hearing each other
sitting in limbo
if that’s what it takes

on color and
couch styles
we have various flavors
we never agree
we can laugh at the process
and keep five kinds of salt

but the important questions
negotiations with city
rebuilding the kitchen
all have their say
opposition means
extending the listening
then we tweak to include
all voices
all needs

would this work for a country
a federation of size
maybe not
but begin with
small nodes of consensus
neighborhoods, then cities
keep it local
and fluid
give everyone a real voice
a vote that matters

and revive
what the Greeks meant
when they invented
democracy

© Maja Bengtson, 2016