Correspondence to reality

The flack-jacketed composure is assured
whenever ‘the rebels are approaching the city’
or ‘there are reports of chemical weapons being used’
they will be there, in the thick of it,
keeping us generally ill-informed
that one side is better than the other

God is always on someone’s side
‘the collateral damage has been extensive!’
but who values peasants really?

At least their safe from ‘friendly fire’
because we’re told they have no friends
impartiality and objective reporting are guaranteed
and as we hear the shelling in the background,
we see the closed circuit spectacular of the smart bomb

when the government falls there is always anarchy
what they really mean is chaos
as if summary executions and martial law
were pillars of democracy