Swirling Leaves Poem by Paul Brookes

bloodstream red youth
red within too
statues fall.
sometimes anger's just
histories rust decays
bondage of yesteryear
erodes our present

epidermal tones
varietal as Autumn leaves
from gold to purple
they fall from the same tree.

ugly mouthfuls spew
arpeggio's hate splinters ugly
glissandos chiurrps of chaos scream.
haemorrhaging across black tar.

past lingers heavy
heavy as smoke
dense chocking entity
present floats, changing times

tyranny chooses its scapegoats
to excuse
a people, a wall, a fence, a baton, a knee,
bodies may be chained
but minds are free.