Brainwashed

Inspired by Louise Gluck's, A Fantasy

"I’ll tell you something: Every day people are dying. 

And that’s just the beginning." Thrusted into 

numbing hours, swivel chairs, and cubicles, 

a nine-to-five, weekday personal purgatory

for those whose sins are lies they find

themselves repeating each night 

as the buzz of a lagging TV ad

sings each one to sleep: 

He will lose 10 pounds;

She will get promoted;

You will finally wake

with an ache of

fulfillment. 

 

Our sixth extinction 

Dawning 

As humanity falls 

Asleep.