Mr Ellison’s Grade 9 English classes have been studying Protest Poetry and one of their tasks required them to craft and deliver a SLAM poem that addressed either an issue or a political leader of their choosing. At Thursday’s Student-Led Assembly, Jamari Lockhart delivered a compelling rendition of “Reign of Apathy” an excellent piece crafted by his classmate, Lucas Heng.

Reign Of Apathy by Lucas Heng

A reign of apathy is upon us,
A whole new age of ignorance.
Where the ones calling the shots can do as they please while the rest follow obediently.
Where minimum wage workers can only weep as their dreams of a stable life fade with inflation.
Where each day another man, woman, and child plunge into the abyss of poverty, despite their greatest efforts to claw their way out.

“Let them eat cake!” as the poor struggle to feed.
“We’re the top 1% of the world!” as the homeless are paved over.
“We’re incredibly lucky!” as their youth fall into debt.
How many more lies shall you tell us?
How many more plastic promises shall be vowed?
What will it take for us to say, “enough is enough!”

You care not for the earth you live on,
You care not for the country you lead,
You care not for the consequences,
nor the people in need.
Your only goal is to line your pockets,
Throwing stones at walls you’ll never climb.

What is your will, oh great leader?
Shall I polish the gold of your phoney throne?
Would you care for some more cash, freshly embezzled of course.
Perhaps I could offer you a pen?
Legalise another pointless law.
Make the people think you’re doing a perfect job.
Maybe they’ll elect you again.

“Not my job”
What a polite way to say “I never cared”
Do you ever look at yourself in the mirror,
With your tailored suit, whitened grin, devious horns,
And wonder what they’d think if they knew the real you?
Or does the very thought scare you enough
to bury it with your morality?

You’ll strip our earth to the core,
You’ll work us to the bone,
You’ll laugh loudly as we suffer in silence,
But for how much longer?
They say a cancer must be uprooted at the source,
A parasite needs a host to feed.

Something’s coming dear leader,
and for your sake
I hope the fires you ignited don’t burn you too badly.