I Hate the DMV

The DMV
consumed eighty five percent
of my work day
and when you're self employed
that feels like just another form
of taxation
to take me away
from working on my dreams
to force me into
an obedience ritual
so I can wait for hours
to show a knealing human being
some paperwork.

Then I went to Taco Bell
and marveled at how much harder
their task is
to make food and give it to us
in five minutes
in a way that doesn't kill us
from bacteria,
it inspired me.
The workers at Taco Bell
served at least 80 people
in less than a half hour with
8 employees.

The dude who took my order
a high school aged tall black kid
Was all muscular and made direct eye contact
He displayed perfect and clear customer service
listened intently and moved the line along
and the government would just love
to slow that kid down
all that efficiency is dangerous
all that connectivity and the independence involved
in busting out thousands of bean burritos
for car fulls of stoners until 2am

California has over 30 prisons
full of men like that
and they made the license plate
for my trailer
because without an army of slaves
things like license plates
wouldn't make the cut
as something to bother with
the DMV would barely exist
and we'd just drive our cars
and everything would be fine.

Anarchist Thoughts

               I.

Leaving the country always feels good
this greatest empire that ever was
that can destroy the world ten times over with bombs
if it wants
but it won't
it'll destroy itself
it'll unravel like a loose knot
tied with slick rope by numb fingers on a freezing night

               II.

This is an election year
the song and dance our masters give us
so we can believe we live in a democratic republic
At least the People's Republic of China
is honest with their one party rule
Oh and they have good education
and health care
and way less prisoners

               III.

There are other nations I wouldn't want to be stuck in
without a doubt
I know it isn't all happy beaches and delicious street food out there
although there are a lot of beaches and street foods
but we are a nation that sells war to ourselves
with the delusion that our way is best for the world
and then we finance those wars and our 700 military outposts
with money borrowed from theocratic dictatorships and communist authoritarians
we don't have any money of our own anymore
we spend more than we make
take more than we give
and consume more than we create

              IV.

The actual value of every paper currency in history is zero
No fiat currency survives the test of time
In 2008 the whole system was two hours away from collapse
and the ATMs would have stopped spitting cash
and all the banks would have closed
and all our deposits would have vanished
like a jealous thought whispered away by a lover's kiss

             V.

The dollar itself is the biggest financial bubble in the history of civilization
And living among the madness and spoils of empire
has made me slothful and apathetic
or ravenously ambitious
although all that feels firmly in the past now
and the only way that feels firm and calm to me
the only balance I can find
is in anarchy, prayer, and getting things made

            VI.

Nobody has real authority over anybody else
That's a thing we do to give away responsibility
but every time we do that little pieces of sovereignty go with it
like erosion on a logged hillside
it's as unnatural as a logged hillside