347 words (1 minute read)

A Stroke of Good Business

00:03:04 :: 00:04:00

“Ek” does not mean “Eight."
“Arf” does not mean “Half."
The educated laugh
to learn you heave none.
You, a proper fool,
were lucky in your
sharing till there was
no punishment left.
But how learned you wit
enough to tables
turn upon a foe
unknown to any
but the writer and
audience of old?
You did not, could not.
Your hands and words were
forced by forces strange.
You were forced by norms
demanding morals
to keep the lowly
in the lowly place.
How many more trades
of fate might you have
known if left artless?
But - no - the Brothers
needed a villain;
and, chose the common
enemy who by
all counts was never 
foe but family.
Oh! The harm we deal
upon those nearest
who should be dearest!
Your tales has lost its
moral and humor
with the passing time
and its changing tides;
you, made fool anew,
and too rich in luck
to even see it.
That is privilege.
You are privilege.
You are blind to what 
you have because time
and again the tale
is told to favor
your fortune, so-called
“good” as it tears down
others to build you
up ever higher.
You are blind because
you want to be blind
so long as you remain
the hero with gold
in all his pockets,
telling himself “I
got it right this time." 

Next Chapter: A Miraculous Fiddler