The Kentucky Derby is a corporation –

like the coal companies and Japanese

bourbon barrel barons & back in the

old days  – was only a week-long festival …

– And I am sure,

Y’all are squeamishly hoping this

rant will end on a good note, like the house

slave that wants to get a good night’s rest –

comfortably in the quarters – “Y’all darkies

are supposed to be gay.” “Y’all know,

Papa gots his friends over an’ we

ain’t supposed to be talking about his

whips and all his tax breaks!”

The Kentucky Derby is as stupid

as full grown adults, waiting around

the fireplace, cookies placed and waiting

for Santa to come and leave big box warehouses

and nice new auto plants under the tree. And when

one of his beasts of burden, breaks its leg –

you wake the kids to help Santa shoot it

in the head.

The Kentucky Derby is a golden

cash cow worshipped, like the military air show

that runs up and down the Ohio river – while

the Belle of Louisville and our streets are

prostituted out to Masters of War and commerce –

we are supposed to be nice, like the bourbon

commercial suggests:

“Bonded” like the small-neighborhood family parties.

“Branded” like the jockeys exploited for profit –

like how the “green” justifies the horse shit

and the mint sprig, the alcoholism of the aggressor,

the audacity of gambling and gaudy hats of

the privileged.

The Kentucky Derby is a waste

of time because when this is all over,

your gonna wake up with a bad taste in your mouth,

praying that when you blacked out, you were not date

raped by your boss or fondled by one of

his frat boys, while his friends – standing

over – laughing and drunk –

money falling out of

their pockets – paid your friends

to hush up

about it.

But, don’t worry – It is what it is –

Y’all come out smelling like roses!