Penny Wagers
Penny Wagers
Up the Creek, Down the River
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Up the Creek, Down the River

A short poem about a place most of us visit regularly.
Photograph © James Hart

In a land long forgotten
There’s a trickster who’s rotten
But his cunning has bought our allegiance
From the world’s largest river
He’s begun to deliver
The corruption he’s calling convenience

There’s an app and a store
That’s a platform and more
It can even supply your addictions
Just pretend he’s your friend
When he helps you to spend
With his tracking and AI predictions

He can publish your book
Or assemble a look
You can ship to yourself in an hour
When you order online
Just ignore what you sign
As your data increases his power

You’ll find seasonal jams
And some rear-mounted cams
For a car that you’ve not even driven
Just another transaction
And you’ll get the distraction
That you need to feel whole and forgiven

When you furnish your home
You can get it in chrome
If you’re willing to order in minutes
But your debt never ends
While his profit depends
On more victims exceeding their limits

From a land once majestic
Where he exports synthetic
Shampoos and perfume and concealer
We’re all under his spell
Buying tickets to hell
From this deity doubled as dealer

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Penny Wagers
Penny Wagers
Poetry that's actually fun to read. Ambitious essays with audience participation. Where ancient magic meets jokes about Flannery O'Connor's mayonnaise addiction.
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James Hart