11/01/2013 3rd World Facebook

[Pipebomb Poet]

Today, people take pictures of meals with Instagram
You had fried chicken with pickles? I don't give a damn!
Let's look at the Facebook of a poor guy with the click
and randomly assembled letters in his name. We'll like his pics.

"We have hot rocks with sand and cholera-filled water.
We don't need a filter to get it just right. Manslaughter
is a new event. I'm going there tomorrow (well, I more or less
have to) as a child soldier to stand bile gore and es-
pecially when it turns out I have to kill my brother,
cousins and uncles. But it'll be fun to kidnap my mother.

So tell me First World, what's all this nagging for?
Check my latest post and rib you can't see anymore.
Oh my animal god! I have gained at least two pounds!
See the pictures of my belly. My mom wants to ground
me in my bed room but that's also the living room,
kitchen, bath room and toilet where our goat looms.

Red Cross and Flying Doctors are here
since they've checked in at Foursquare.
I can't get rid of all the flies, scabs and dirt.
It's a good thing I'll get those Romney T-shirts.

I could've used Twitter to say this but I haven't learned
all 140 characters at school since my books were burned.
It was so malarious: a buddy of mine posted his short joke.
He is funny but no one on Facebook is like me. I'm the best bloke!
Farmville: I had more succesful harvests there than in my yard.
Cityville: I'm level 6 after upgrading my shed. It's not that hard.
Mafia Wars: The Hutus and Tutsis are still equal in their feuds.
ChefVille: I made feast meals that I had to share with my girl Jude.

FML! I invite you to real-life Minesweeper.
Break a leg? I've already lost both. It'll creep her
out but it won't stop me to fulfill my Facebook fate:
to be level 60 when I survive the square with 8
on it. Another update: my brother is pretty fast
but when runnin' from a cheetah, he came in last.

I'll log off soon but before I say farewell,
there are a few things that I must tell:
80% of Africa has AIDS. Hakuna Matata!
We've caught HIV but no shiny Ratata."

[StreamofAether]

Dude this is one of the most incendiary pieces I've read on this forum. Humorous, sardonic, dark truths. Great juxtaposition between the first and third worlds, it's disheartening to see this excessive gap between people of the world and those few who benefit from it. And use their wealth to spread misinformation and indifference about the human cost of western standards of life. Have you seen the documentary Blood in the Mobile? ties in with this. Excellent piece.

[katana]

Wow, this is awesome.
You just highlighted all major problems of our generation and in a witty, funny, I-don't-know-how-more-to-describe-it poem.You play with word and rhymes but the rhythm never breaks and the poem ended so soon that I wanted to read it again and again.
Anyway great poem.

[everhopeful]

I think this is one of the best I've read from you. While there are some elements which I've come to associate with your writing, particularly the way you use very specific cultural references, and the dark humour, this is so fierce and socially conscious that it conveys an emotive message with the power that it deserves.
This is a benchmark that people should aspire to in modern poetry.
Absolutely superb.

[SirDaniel]

Without a doubt, life is not fair to everyone.. I would love to entertain it all works out in the end but I doubt if people in such parts of the world would ever agree.. You have taken your reader into a home that is never shown on the news, introduced them to situations we read about on page thirteen in the paper and done it with clever rhymes and images. Much enjoyed,

Daniel

[petaeraugustus]

I really enjoyed this poem, great humor to it.

[nothingtohide]

Wow! This poem grabbed me by the shirt collar and never let go. Amazing! I have never read anything as fiercely in your face at this one. It totally hi-lites all of the major social issues in a way that makes you wanna read this poem again and again. Absolutely spot on, I will surely think of this poem every time I watch the news. Thank you for such a powerful poem. I am better for having read it.

[rootbeer]

Sick piece, i'm going to have to watch for you work. Keep on keeping on.

[sunsetgrey]

Wow! Some of my favourite poetry deals with pretty hard-hitting real world issues, and this is one of them. Really encapsulates the whole idea of "First World Problems" and manages to trivialise the little things we do online to marvelous effect. Extremely witty, I loved how the tone of the speaker was inherently sardonic and so condescending to users of social media (Twitter & Facebook). I laughed at some parts and felt bad about it afterwards- especially the bit about the speaker's brother running from a cheetah. The last line was awesome, I enjoyed the little Pokemon reference. Very, very well deserved spotlight and one of my favourite reads in awhile.

Thank you so much for sharing this! Definitely watching out for more fo your work.

- Alison

[ladymaybebaby]

Fierce, and gritty. Yet slightly dark and humorous. A perfect read! Excellent work... I'll be bookmarking this one for sure, congratulations on the spotlight pick of the week! Truly much deserved!

-LMB
xoxo

[SirDaniel]

It's nice to see your poem, one of the age we live in, here in the spotlight. It offers an "in your face" view of a world that is not the same one our parents lived. Congratulations.

~ Daniel

[Dead Rebel]

Heart felt and uncensored. We are generation of technology slaves willingly glued to our digital handcuffs and you just called us out on it. One of the most powerful poems I have ever read. Good luck my friend

[dornicks]

I applaud this hard hitting piece with enthusiasm and those who have shared in their comments on it. Look forward to reading more of your work. Congratulations,in every sense.

dornicks

[inflames]

Insightful work. I enjoyed this. Congrats on your spotlight.

[everhopeful]

I realise that coming from someone with a broadband connection it might seem shallow to talk about the haves and have-nots of the world, but there's something about this which absolutely burns me, it strikes my conscience and makes me feel angry and ashamed at the same time. Your style would be almost impossible to imitate, but always easy to admire.
Still one of my favourites, not just from you but on the site as a whole.
Congratulations on the spotlight.

[gooseberry]

Many congratulations on the spotlight.This poem has both feet set firmly in the real world and I truly admire that.You write with brutal honesty and a dark wit.Brilliant.

[asob13]

Absolutely brilliant, thank you for this.

[SirFleshwound]

This had a 'Hilltop Hoods' feel about it. Very topical and well crafted, with a relevance that is impossible to ignore.