Subterranean Rivers Below Poem by James Darwin Smith II

Subterranean rivers below
Hidden within monolithic oblique stones
Only seen partially
By the whim of judging eyes
Past as something else
Nothingness the void
Is where it flows
Upon solitary refuge
Fending off
Waterfalls of never ending notions


Dreaming of the light
Shining ever so alluring
Hidden out of a moment's time
So use to the same redundancy
Deterrence from something
Admired in so many different ways


The cold waters keep flowing
Searching for a sign
Tired of flowing blind
As superficial intentions
And naïve notions
Walk above and beyond
Hand in hand with prejudice
Looking down
Atop their concrete thrones
Kings and Queens
Embracing vanity
As if it was water
Helping their egoistical golden beanstalk
Grow well beyond what they even needed
Yet, they still want so much more


They shun empty eyes peeking
Always telling everyone what they are seeking
Power over the meek
Searching to tap below
Taking away all the hopes
And dreams of an earnest tomorrow


The sick hide below
Only to be forced to go lower
Sinking into a claustrophobic hole
Of morose hidden in pained view


The golden eggs are exclusive for the taken
By broken hands of crippling motions


The servants working harder each day
Only to be thrown scraps
That will not last
As those who struggle
Feel worthless
Each and every single day



Down in the subterranean rivers below
They talk of the fairy tales of up above


Some comfort in the reality
While others think
They can be as fortunate
As the kings and queens
Pit the less fortunate against each other
Watching them all fight
Laughing because they know
This dumpster fire society will never win


The poor and wounded
Are so much better than
The richness of them


But who is going to convince them?
While they all fight for their spots


Working so hard
To make the fortunate sons happy
While much of their souls die each day


I swim the subterranean rivers below
In dedication
Of those fallen
Into the sullen abyss of no return


I might in their lowest coldest of depths
But here I am
Feeling just like them


Where is empathy?
It seems to be fading away


So many drowning
In the subterranean rivers below
Because they all were never taught how to swim


The meek wounded in the subterranean rivers below
Looked down in disgust
By those who continue to stomp them
With million dollar shoes
Made from the blood, sweat and tears
Of poor women, children and men


Why must society keep descending?


In the end
The kings and queens will eventually lose
Because there will be no more pawns
To help them win