The Great White Alibi

 Poetry: Literary Liberation: The Great White Alibi by Ruben Camp White

The Lord must’ve looked down at this greasy street,

At the neon lies and the shuffling feet,

And said, “Lord, have mercy, they’re acting a fool

Let me put ‘em all back in Sunday school.”

So He reached for a bucket of heavenly paint

And turned every sinner into a saint.

Look at that alley! Just yesterday morning

It was a pile of trash and a landlord’s warning.

Now it’s draped in a coat of expensive mink,

Hiding the smells and the things that stink.

The fire escape, rusted and leaning so low,

Is a staircase of diamonds, thank you, snow!

It’s a cold-hearted hustle, this frosty grace,

Applying foundation to the city’s face.

The neighbor who hasn’t paid back my ten?

He’s looking as pure as a holy men.

That dent in my fender? A memory, gone

Under a blanket of white, we’re all reborn.

But don’t get too pious, don’t start the choir,

This “redemption” is just a high-altitude liar.

It’s a cheap white rug pulled over the floor,

To hide the secrets behind the door.

‘Cause when the sun gets to feeling his oats,

He’ll peel back those fancy, powdered coats.

The diamonds will drip and the mink will sour,

And we’ll all be back to our regular hour.

The trash will peek out, the rust will show,

And we’ll remember we’re just... us, below.

But for now? I’ll sit here and play the part,

With a frozen yard and a shady heart.

#SnowDay #TheGreatWhiteAlibi #RubenCampWhite #WinterIrony #PoetryWithSass