General Obvious

 

General Obvious

Poetry won’t feed the hungry 

Songs won’t stop the war 

That painting’s doing nothing 

to combat global warmth 

but in between the barricades 

I might steal a kiss 

just to remember what 

we’re fighting for, general obvious 

I used to think everybody 

had rich interior lives 

that art was an aristocracy 

where everyone could fantasize 

now that I’ve been in the trenches 

longer than I can count 

I see that the struggle starts early 

and never really stops 

now that I’m in the trenches 

with my six feet blown off 

I’d expose my lovers early 

as life begins with art