Nancy L. Meek

FOR THE SAKE OF MICE AMONG MEN

They labor to free us
from textbooks obscene,
from seeing raw flesh
and words that demean,
for their goal is to challenge,
to burn and deny,
to keep us from learning
what we will by and by;
thus, bashing and trashing
what they deem too uncouth
for all (except “them”:
the censors of truth),
who scour the pages
of both ancient and new,
martyrs for we challenged,
who don’t have a clue
as to what not to read
or to view on the screen
as if we’re all stupid
and will end up unclean;
like we need their protection;
lest, subjected to sin,
we’re seduced into hell
by Huckleberry Finn.