Conformity

A song that floats ’round in my mind
Is one of Dolly Parton's rhyme –
“If I should stay”, she sings to us,
“I'd only be in way”– such fuss.

At first I thought those words applied
To those of us who had not died;
But now I see there's many ways
They fit so well at end of days.

For in the halls of nursing home,
Where few are strong enough to roam,
But lie, or sit with lolling head,
Those words apply to those soon dead.

Then there are those in foetus time –
Perhaps they know of Parton's rhyme,
Or not – who knows? – “Just patch of skin
Dispensable to moms, not kin.”

Some people do not fit our group,
So they can't flavour up our soup;
If truth's disruptive to our peace,
Participation's is released.

Herr Hitler with his Zyklon-B
Designed to deal with pesky flea,
Used it to ‘vermin’ keep from view –
Killed half a dozen million Jews.

The “how” was learned from Stalin who
Had twenty million cast from view
Who would or could not change forthwith –
Much easier to send to death.

Then Pol-Pot, wanting his reform
Saw fit to kill those far from norm;
Filled killing fields – one million heads –
“Let's start from scratch to change”, he said.

Of course it would be nice for us
If others would just leave, no fuss,
For we're all “Aryans” in our way –
“If I should stay...” we wish they'd say.

The Proverb-ist warns, stay away
From those rebelling in your day,
Because they social-fabric wreck
(Kill off when standards are not met).

The other day on TV screen
A son showed dad where mom had been –
Still living now – son’s genes, less dad's –
The half remaining, mom had had.

Narrator said, “The genes from first
Live on in us, both best and worst;
We've all survived wars, plagues and sin
To jointly make the skin we're in”.

Now ‘clones’ – what kind of life is that?
When fashion changes like ones hat,
Where cliques rise up of cyborg type –
Eliminate those ‘not quite right’.

Then wars between competing clans
To sweep the others from their lands;
‘Conformity ', a plague today –
Yes, “I'd be only in your way”.

Compassion-types say ‘Keep the peace
Or membership will be released’;
It is not fun hear from them –
‘Sing Kum-Ba-Ya or face the end’.

Perceiver-types swat pesky flies
Of people who don't rise up high;
While givers will not tolerate
The folks who drain on funds create.

The servers shun those into change,
Tradition is their home-ly range;
Encourager's hate change that's slow,
So dump-truck those who will not grow;

The teachers view as lower life
Those not like-minded, sharp as knife;
Administrators dislike staff
Who interfere with goals, unasked;

Right now all they can do is shun,
Make tough the lives of anyone
Who does not fit their point of view –
Tomorrow, it's “adieu” to you”.

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