Things are different now.
It seems like 20 years ago,
the county mowed the medians
even when there wasn’t an election. 

Something vulgar in the overgrowth
between two cities. But beautiful, too,
in nature’s way. I guess I’m saying
when did we decide maintenance too expensive?

Where I grew up–finally someone said,

oh, all these government employees are related.
It’d been obvious until people finally decided
to notice. Same shinola, different people.

Fill in the blank. We’re all aware
it crumbles, and nobody wants taxes
to rise. Or to compromise a little. 
So on and on the story goes. 

You know what I hear: it sounds like jiggling
a change purse over a landfill. Gold and rot. 
It’d happened before. Will again. Orosborus.
It’s a lot easier to be mad than it is to change.