Mercurial

Less well-known than the love triangle,
The fight quadrangle determines more
Dramatic conflict, certainly wars.

It’s haves vs. have-nots on one side
Haves vs. haves along another
Have-nots vs. have-nots vs. haves.

The have-nots always outnumber haves,
But the haves by definition have
The resources to crush the have-nots.

When the haves can focus on have-nots
And the have-nots split into conflict,
With many have-nots used as police,

The haves can ride herd in brittle peace.
When the haves take that peace for granted
Or can’t resist fighting each other

For who among the haves has it all,
The police and soldiers are unleashed.
In chaos, have-nots suffer the most.

Every so often, an alliance
Of the have-nots threatens all the haves,
And it feels beautiful, like people

Will finally unite, free themselves,
An equitable state of the mass,
But it’s never stable very long,

And at some point a faction of haves
Slices through it, and then, for a while,
It’s back to the haves over have-nots.

It’s like watching globs of mercury
Fuse and split, but it would be more fun
Not knowing the mercury’s poison.