'They' (a poem)
Who are ‘They’? You know, the ones who said it would rain today. Are they the same ‘They’ that claim a glass of red wine a day is good for you? Or are they the ‘They’ that decided quinoa, blueberries and chia seeds needed a superlative? ‘They’ said the pandemic would change everything, ‘They’ promised a new normal. But then again, ‘They’ promised to be carbon neutral by 2030. ‘They’ say mental illness is on the rise yet ‘They’ are spending unprecedented resources on it. [Oh, you mean the ‘They’ who raise wages? Or the ‘They’ who let inflation spiral?] Which ‘They’ is it who are calling for Peace? The ‘They’ that call for ceasefires? Surely not the same ‘They’ that are profiting from arms sales to rich warlords and using hateful speech on ‘Their’ platforms? These are the ‘They’ who hide behind a pronoun when delivering news of death, poverty, corruption and failure. The same ‘They’ who suddenly personify when plaudits, praise and popularit