The Price of Nothing.
🤍🖤

The poorest hearts bleed-
Nights
Sleepless and fitful
Worrying
Wondering
What will become
Of the children
In Gaza
Tonight.
Buried under rubble
Their new born cries
Stifled
By the dust
And insipid fury
Of an army
They’ll never
Grow up
To look in the eye.
The cowardice
Of men
Made righteous by
Lies and propaganda
The holy land
A mass grave of bare footed
Sanctimony.
A burial ground
Of greed and empire
Playing on the
Frail human need
For a purpose.
To be right.
Above all
To be right.
Amen.
Untouched by mortar
And drone fire
The rich sleep soundly.
Whilst their minion’s sacrifice
Their souls
In the name of a flag
That did nothing for them
But take life
And bleed
Bleed
Bleed
Dry.
The vestiges of humanity
They had left.
We line the streets in protest.
Pretend we have a say,
they line their pockets with the profits
of war and devastation.
Playing golf with a severed head.
A girl learns hunger
before numbers add to four.
A boy learns fear
before his name
Is used against him.
Money sups sun-drenched wine
grown on vines
They never planted.
Cultivated by men
Whose names
They cannot pronounce.
Fish beg for air
They patent oxygen.
We bury our dead.
They buy the moon.
And call it their own.
With rockets
They never built –
With materials
They never dug.
And still—
We are told
To aspire
To the American dream.
Where capitalists
Wank off into their
Gold plated coffee cups -
Shoving their penises of power in the mouths
Of pigs.
They never reared.
Because they can.
Human life is a penny toss –
At the annual Met Gala.
Still,
I’d rather choke on pennies
Than bathe in bitcoin.
I’d rather know the face of my friends
Carrying the same weight –
Than wonder why the fuck they are there.
Kissing my arse –
Into war crimes
I don’t understand.
Paranoid about their intent
My ego bulging
With sycophants for blood.
I’d rather die face down in the mud -
Than in the ivory tower
Of delusion and cruelty
You have all become.
Either way.
We’re all dead anyway.
Was it worth it?
The lives you
Annihilated
For power and face?
Sleep tight
The night
Is yours.
Alone.
About the Creator
River and Celia in Underland
Mad-hap shenanigans, scrawlings, art and stuff ;)
Poetry Collection, Is this All We Get?
Reader insights
Outstanding
Excellent work. Looking forward to reading more!
Top insights
Heartfelt and relatable
The story invoked strong personal emotions
Easy to read and follow
Well-structured & engaging content
On-point and relevant
Writing reflected the title & theme
Compelling and original writing
Creative use of language & vocab
Masterful proofreading
Zero grammar & spelling mistakes
Expert insights and opinions
Arguments were carefully researched and presented
Excellent storytelling
Original narrative & well developed characters
Eye opening
Niche topic & fresh perspectives


Comments (29)
Well that was a smack down if I've ever read one, and I am all here for it!! Belated congrats on Top Story C&R, you crushed it with this one!!
Damn ya'll! Let's go viral baby! I am with you in every syllable.
Heartbreaking and brutally honest—a poem that should be heard.
Your verse commands attention because of the majesty of the raw images it creates, and because of its unbridled power of its message.
Oh my. I never thought it would be possible to be this speechless, but here it is. This is not just a masterpiece, this is a poem written by someone who cannot help but draw the world in words, passionately. I swear you cannot fail. 'a girl learns hunger Before numbers count to four' there are many lines like this one, capable of shattering and capturing the mind with meaning, instantly. Because of just how precise you were. Wow. I felt all the things. And your sharp witted views on the current world — updated and well informed — makes your poem pop. Makes it so unique to you and your incredible talent. Congratulations on your Top Story 🎉🎉
congratulations on top story. Your story echoes the insanity of this time
wow
Fierce, fearless, and devastatingly honest. Every line cuts like truth should. Thank you for speaking the unspeakable with such raw power.
Revealing truth unapologetically. Just the way it should be! Shove it all down their throats at the same time and hope they choke on every word just like we choke on their stupidity on a daily basis. Congrats on a very important TS!
Your words touched me more deeply than I expected—sometimes we write through pain, and sometimes we heal through someone else’s. Thank you for reminding me that stories like ours matter. I’m also someone who writes from a place of struggle and silent strength. Following you now—and I’d be honored if you ever visit my corner of Vocal too. We rise when we lift each other.
THis is beautiful man - i hope someday we live in the world where the good things outweigh the bad ones
greet
can you support me i can support you
Heart breaking and horrifying.
Your words touched me more deeply than I expected—sometimes we write through pain, and sometimes we heal through someone else’s. Thank you for reminding me that stories like ours matter. I’m also someone who writes from a place of struggle and silent strength. Following you now—and I’d be honored if you ever visit my corner of Vocal too. We rise when we lift each other.
Congratulations on your top story! When will humanity ever learn, is a question I ponder daily. Such a powerful voice, ripping off the band-aid, many would rather see than recognize the agonizing truth!
heart touching
nice
You have told the bitter truth. You have written well.😘😘
Your storytelling is truly captivating! I'd be honored if you could take a moment to glance at my latest piece; I'm new here and eager for feedback
Holy fucking shit. This is absolutely fire. This is blistering and so many lines got a titter from the child in me. But, also I could not argue a single point. Well done my friends. This is just beautiful, sad, desperate, blistering, uncompromising and Truth. Congrats too on the fiverr from Johann Vocal for it! :)
Hear! Hear!! Perfectly written, River and Celia!
Oh gosh, the first line already set the perfect tone. Everything you said is right—beyond just right, it needs to be heard and absorbed by everyone and specially by the egotistical minds in power. I despise propaganda; a corruption method into thinking killing innocents is justified. Well written, you two, as always. I love the way you don't hold back. And nor should you 💜x
Think you've said everything and captured the rage and futility so well. I don't understand how the west is just watching and not doing anything. This was exceptional. I just wish you didn't need to write something like this. I hope there is peace soon.
We fail to understand that the world is run by narcissists who have no feeling for anything or anyone but themselves. We keep voting them in, those with a choice...those without choices pay for the sins of being poor. The more we change the more we remain the same.