Revolt
Animals go loony when earthquakes and
volcanoes gather their murderous forces.
But dogs and owners sleep silently
even as teachers in the hamlets of
West Virginia summon the courage of
miners and rich kids in Florida ask
daddy for the car to rally against insanity.
Cats purr innocently while the descendants
of slaves plan legal insurrections against
mass incarceration and white supremacy, and
immigrants descend upon marble buildings
reminding the progeny of horse thieves
they know hypocrisy when they see it.
White men in black robes
worry about the tyranny of teachers,
firefighters and pothole fillers
who impudently demand level playing
fields while boldly calling upon
the sustenance of those they serve.
Chaos is the unpredicted earthquake,
rantings of the narcissist,
lies of the haters and deniers,
manipulations of the traders,
a stealthy volcano.
This is not chaos.
This is Revolt.
Feature photo used under a Creative Commons license from flickr user Lorie Shaull.
Len Shindel began working at Bethlehem Steel’s Sparrows Point Plant in 1973, where he was a union activist and elected representative in local unions of the United Steelworkers, frequently publishing newsletters about issues confronting his co-workers. His nonfiction and poetry have been published in the “Other Voices” section of the Baltimore Evening Sun, The Pearl, The Mill Hunk Herald, Pig Iron, Labor Notes and other publications. After leaving Sparrows Point in 2002, Shindel, a father of three and grandfather of seven, began working as a communication specialist for an international union based in Washington, D.C. The International Labor Communications Association frequently rewarded his writing. He retired in 2016. Today he enjoys writing, cross-country skiing, kayaking, hiking, fly-fishing, and fighting for a more peaceful, sustainable and safe world for his grandchildren and their generation. Shindel is currently working on a book about the Garrett County Roads Workers Strike of 1970 www.garrettroadstrike.com.