i went to a memory competition
and they told us
that our brains
are what make us human
make us compassionate
better-

so we take tests
and we get trophies and
we smile
and shake hands
and laugh

and we finish
and we go home
and turn on the tv
and we listen
as people drop drone bombs
on villages,
and we watch as police
shoot little kids dead,
and we pretend
not to hear
as the little girl
down the hall
screams

and we talk about
our incredible
burning desire
for omnipotence
drinking in power
like it’s ambrosia

and we rejoice
in our incredible
humanity