joke’s on the poets

A Poem by Alexis Rhodes

joke’s on the poets
at what stage do they come for the artists? i think
it must be soon
because they’ll be the only truth
that’s left when they
nationalize the media.

our stanzas burned, churned into the web of Gemini AI to
re-tool our poetry as patriotic manifestos for OAN.
our photography shredded or edited to include
Mountain Dew sponsorships and the Trump 2032 logo.
our music cleansed in a barrel of
Bath and Body Works Cucumber Melon hand sanitizer
thrown out, covered in chemical spray to
deter dumpster divers.

we will believe our contributions will outlive us.
a noble life, go die in a concentration camp
having left fingerprints
on the world
through art.

but we are no James Baldwins, friends. because voices are
strangled in a counterclockwise revolution
and the final act of war on us
will be to destroy
our legacies.

Photo by Alina Kovalchuk

Alexis Rhodes is a queer, polyamorous poet, playwright, performer, and strategist based in North Carolina. Her poetry has been described as raw and confessional, with just enough humor to lighten the mood. Alexis lives with her husband, two kids, and a hedgehog named Hedge.