CATACLYSM: post-apocalyptic perspectives

two elections–16 years apart–where a candidate will take the presidency while losing the popular vote

an archaic constitution designed to defend slavery–facilitating modern day political crime

pollsters and pundits all proven wrong by an electorate sufficiently suffused in white supremacy and sexism

and tens of millions deeply unmoved to even participate in what felt like political farce
a billionaire bigot masquerading as the great white hope of the common man
feeding on the the rage, anxiety, and latent prejudice of those left behind by the neoliberal juggernaut

the proud banner of political revolution flew bravely just months ago
but amidst today’s tears and psychic paralysis those shimmering hopes seem a distant memory

so its official–hate trumped love–and the most unhinged major party campaign for the white house in modern history stands vindicated
only time will tell how the incoherent components of trump’s reactionary agenda will be resolved
slashing taxes for the one percent can only bring carnage to social programs

renewed military build-up may fuel emergent anti-imperial consciousness
we face four years of defensive battles and the threat that the far-right will terrorize muslims, refugees, queers and trans

will the movement for black lives be branded a terrorist threat
will all the pipelines be built over the dead bodies of valiant indigenous defenders of our sacred mother earth

not my president millions cry–protests exploding night after night
but without building power–we will scream in vain
absorbing this defeat is painful and cruel
electoral anxiety becomes apocalyptic depression

the nihilist temptation is visceral and real
we need to breath deep–we need to rebuild
let red and black unite–emboldened by brown yellow and green

unfurl the flags of revolution–stand strong and seek solutions
we face a hard road–we face a proto-fascist horde
but people of conscience are the majority and our voices must be heard

our system is sick–our politics are rigged–stand strong for democracy–rebuild and rejig
last tuesday was a cataclysm–stoked with violent consequence

like the phoenix we must rise–emboldened by karmic consciousness
evolve or die trying–revolt or live lying
from evolution to revolution–nucomintern baby–a cosmic solution

lead visual by MONOLITH

mural at the end by HOMO RIOT

–BYPO PHOENIX c)2016