by Cole McNamara / perilpoet

Guess whose name is actually on a list—
yours, for missing one payment,
mine, for posting this.

But the ones who flew to that island?
stamped “confidential,”
safely off the record.

They say it’s stuck in “processing,”
just glitches, bugs, and trials—
funny how the code runs perfectly
on us, not the Epstein files.

Remember that, next time they tell you
no one is above the law.

If you like this piece, you might also enjoy:

• You Are Not Alone — a Hearth poem reminding you that idols, strangers, and your own family are tired too, and you still have more life left in you.
• The Machine Drinks First — a Ruin poem about a world in drought, where we feed the machines our last water while rivers choke, skies pale, and we’re left with trembling, empty hands.