Greasy Wheels

The Chumash wheel spins round

fueled by pennies found

lying around on the ground.

It isn’t enough to expand

or purchase a helping hand

so it spins on vacant land.

The corporate wheel spins round

fueled by dollars that abound,

doing wheelies, tearing up the ground.

Their cash helps them over-expand,

say, “Oops!” and throw up their hands

when caught spoiling sacred lands.

The county’s wheel spins round,

greased by black gold found

above, on, or in the ground –

Controlling those who want to expand

while being controlled by the hands

that grease the wheels of the land.