Crude manner
met brute fact, et tu…
And on cue, the safety net snags
the choicest cuts
and lowest lots—
a pillar assault to the senses.
Surge breaches station;
gesture harbors germ.
Trappings set the hook, in vise,
caste out.
All’s swell that ends.
Charles Brand is a certified educator of incarcerated and at-risk youth in Florida. He enjoys using any spare time and inspiration in the pursuit of impactful writing. Holding a master’s degree in western history, he is motivated to blend formal and informal skills in creative writing to attract readers who wish for more from the printed word.