Culture Wars Poem by Alexander Beebe

A family’s journey in a wagon, heading West to see the sights.
Three young children on this passage, two of which are prone to fight.
Never hurting one another, just a way to blow some steam.
Cross the dessert, over mountains, through the forest and up the streams.

At an age where girls grow tired with the foolishness of boys
Sits a sister reading novels trying to ignore the noise.
The miles they pass like grains of sand never to expire.
Participation on this trip was not her grand desire.

Like wagon trains that passed before, ambient conditions ripe.
The air conditioning expired, odiferous quarters hold her tight.
The windows down to give relief, result in sand blast heated faces.
Sister’s grin is now infrequent -two more weeks- she might not make it.

When sun begins its downward slide, this ride she’s on will pause for night.
A trailer that is cramped for two, will hold all five what will she do?
No space she finds to call her own, the apes are getting restless
Brothers one and two will fight and cause her further anguish.

The one thing she can call her own on this endless voyage
Resides in little plastic cups of culture she’s acquired.
Of little consequence to most, this yogurt she desires.
God help the soul that touches it-their breath she will expire.

As fate would have it brother one was always up to something.
Giving wedgies, salting milk, polluting air around him.
Typically it’s brother two who’s swimming in his wake.
But on this infamous day at dusk, her culture he did take.

A harmless prank, or so he thought, consuming what was taken.
The “Wrath of Khan” is what he felt, his sisters voice was quaking.
Premeditation was determined by the judge that she became.
“An entire culture you destroyed-guilty in the first degree! ”

Years would pass and talk of this would rarely leave our lips.
Annihilation of a culture much too painful to admit.
Time will tell if she forgives him for his crime committed.
He dare not bring it up again; this poem for her is his repentance.