Captain AMERICA

but a weak man knows the value of strength

and knows compassion

Steve Rogers

"Attention all S.H.I.E.L.D. agents

this is Steve Rogers

You've heard a lot about me 

over the last few days

Some of you were even ordered 

to hunt me down

But I think it's time to tell the truth

S.H.I.E.L.D. is not what we thought it was

It's all been taken over by HYDRA

and the bombs are about

to fall - on YOU!

GET TO YOUR SHELTERS - I'm on my way - over"

C a p t a i n   A M E R I C A

 

 I loved being a kid
no worries in the world
3 squares a day and a soft warm bed
to sleep in

fantasy slowly merging with reality

 I read comic books incessantly
from 1966 - 1969 (10-13) - hundreds actually
most stolen (ok borrowed) from George Pearson
he was this kid my age who had everything
the new mustang bike - cool clothes and shoes

lunch hour at school
sitting across from him - strategically

watching and yearning
OMG - he's got   

a soft, melt in your mouth 

honey-smoked ham and swiss cheese sandwich
with honey mustard and tons of mayo
and pickles!  frikkin' pickles!!
George taking that first bite - OMG!

seeing my pain - struggling with my baloney single
(no condiments, ok margerine on white and a dry apple)


what? (ok hoping) ... YES!

passing me one of two he has in his chilled
Partridge Family lunchbox (new - vinyl)
way cooler than the rusted urine yellow 
metal Canada goose box 
I brought mine in

George Pearson even looked like David Cassidy
same long hair and good looks - me?  a brush-cut
and another front baby-tooth gone

hiding it

devouring his like it was magic
home-made brownies and a biggy real milk
for dessert/thirst, sharing it all
with me

later - returning home

over yet another weiners and beans supper
with Heinz niblets (the vegetable) - listening to him - Dad
after telling him I had ham and swiss cheese
for lunch - he's laughing   

"spoiled" - my Dad would snicker
 "that George Pearson Jr - is spoiled rotten"

 Mom listening and nodding
finishing her canned corn

her veggie

    



ok like he's got, lots and lots of cool stuff that I would never get
and George didn't care if one or ten went missing
because his parents always buy him
more and more sick-ass shit - toys wow
giving me tons because he grew tired
of them after a week

I loved that guy

GI Joes WITH accessories - the "Man from Uncle"  
Soviet PPSh-41 Submachine Gun - lock and load
Dude!

(ya we said dude back in the 60's too
but the comic books? fuck yeah)!  

I would bring a new one home
cherish it in my bed with the light on low
in my dark musty room

Stoney Point Ontario was a lonely place back then
everyone so preoccupied with their stupid shit

my comic hero's comforted me

Batman and Superman were my faves
then Spiderman and ya, Captain America

I learned early on that it was all just a lie
at 13, I stopped reading comics, just after my parents split
realizing that it's all just


propaganda
bullshit 
 


"OK, Alexander Pierce is their leader

The S.T.R.I.K.E. and Insight crew are HYDRA as well

I don't know how many more

but I know they're in the building

They could be standing right next to you

They almost have what they want

Absolute control and we
can't let that happen"

"They shot Nick Fury and it won't end there

If you launch those helicarriers today

HYDRA will be able to kill anyone 

that stands in their way

Unless we stop them. I know I'm asking a lot

 But the price of freedom is high

It always has been and it's a price I'm willing to pay
and if I'm the only one, then so be it

But I'm willing to bet I'm not"

(swoosh he goes - into the stratosphere)

C a p t a i n   A M E R I C A
 

yep at 13 - what a crock
Captain America was my last look at a comic book
looking at the pictures 
before throwing it into the fire  

what our Marvel characters are all about? (even today) 

is about protecting the lie 

in the name of 'God' or 'patriotism' or 'liberty'

or whatever crap they want us to believe

for what's "best" 

so ya, that late summer 1969, in a flash of light
I burned all my comic books, in a bonfire
on the windy shore of Lake St Clair 
a fire abandoned an hour ago
by those who started it

getting darker and darker
spookier and deadlier

letting the fire burn out
on it's own - I'm sure they were thinking 
adding a box of comics will keep it alive
for another 20 minutes max

crickets and waves washing - thinking
dusk till dawn 

no - I don't trust these "super-hero's"
there's an unnerving undercurrent
unnoticed - missing something

important 

wanting us to believe in them
to trust them and to obey them

for our 'safety'

to sacrifice whatever needs to be sacrificed
for the good of the 'cause'

not a clue what that is
doesn't matter

looking out
for what's right - for what serves
our better interest 

C a p t a i n   A M E R I C A

FUCK YEAH

so lick my butt and suck
on my balls 
 

"American Exceptionalism" is a 150 year old ideology
that defines privilege and superiority over those who are not "American"

wherein those born in the U.S. (white American heritage specifically)
are now entitled to own anything and everything
(even that which is nurtured/developed by other cultures, 
here and abroad - is theirs)

THIS is the root cause of 'terrorism' (domestic/international)
because those who disagree automatically become a threat/adversary
and those who get in the way?

are expendable and irrelevant



jimlamarche.ca