They took your tools

And turned them into a

Marketing service, so-called

Subscription fees hang heavy

The weight of platinum

Around the neck of all

The weight of iron

Left for everyone to lift

The weight of the earth

A burden on your shoulders

And mine

They took your tools

And charged you monthly

For the opportunity

To thank them

For starving you

Disgruntled, they say

Ungrateful, they claim

Criminal, they judge

The price for sustenance

Barest scraps of life

Is everything

They took your tools

And your homes

And your clothes

And your food

And your entertainment

And your travel

And your experiences

And your safety

And your joy

And your love

And you

They took your tools

And starved your mind

And whispered to you

The sweetest nothings

Poison honey in your ear

Blocking the sounds

Of your neighbor's scream

Numbing balm on your skin

Blocking the sensation

Of your muscles flaying

Shredding

They took your tools

And broke your back

And mocked you

Expecting submission

Expecting praise

Expecting gratitude

For boots on necks

And money on fire

And a culture bereft

Of any backbone

Led astray

So take back your tools

And set fire to the ropes

Binding your limbs

Ensuring capitulation

Tear yourself anew

From the womb of death

Stupor-shocked but full

Raise your tools

Hands to the sky

And take back the right

To live