Fleeing A Burning Forest

Knowingly or unknowingly, they're dumbing us down
The gatekeepers are ragging the newbies and the lay
They're making them conform to humiliating restrictions
They're preventing free thought, expression and contribution

The eschalon--the Elite--are wiping their feet on us
They're constraining our freedoms
with their fingers round our necks

I cannot breathe and need reprieve
I came to the Institution to believe I could learn
But all the "scholars" do
with the abundance of resources
is kill thought life
It's a random slash and burn

They're hearding the fish into the shallows
with feel good wishy washy armchair thoughts
summed up into a tweeted stutter
There's no more room for the rigorous sorts
The rules of the game are "get your paper",
wam bam thank you mam and see you later

I came to give birth to ideas and share a portion
But these hippies with their weapons
aren't interested in intellectual life
They only specialise in abortions

I am tired of the bloodshed and the numbing of my mind
They talk about "head, hands and heart"
But there's no room for all that in a 1K word write up
Like a bruising needle in your arm
without the euphoric hit to go with it
a dummy immunisation placebo
as enlightening as a fart

I am feeling abused worse than if it were my body
and no one thinks it's odd
This is the opening of the third mellenium?
Someone help me escape from these tyrants
esteemed as "people of God"

I am not judging their intentions
They signed up nobly for the ministry
But somewhere along the line
they started taking bribes
To hand out grad certs 
based on psychobabel hogwash
And brought compromise to authenticity

And the irony in their words is deafening
Something 'bout being "holistic"
But when it comes to exploring other
without prejudice
and applying equitable opportunity
they are not being accommodating
their narrow parameters unrealistic

I wish I could comply I truly do
so as not to rock the apple cart
ruffel feathers or burst their bubble
I would love to give them quality scholarship
keep my head low and stay out of trouble

But the delusion is with them
if they think they can squeeze us
into the tiny tombs they've carved out
for their own icons of Jesus
Storage for the "sending out"
of reformed new disciples
lined up like militant robots
who do not know their bibles

Sheep prepackaged for the slaughter
Who will not understand
the Gallipoli terrain of their tomorrow
the "actual" rules of engagement
and what lies under the sand

I've been told to stay hush
"It's not your job to wake them up"
Oh poor poor sleeping kittens
How dare I touch them
and get too close to the truth
Stir their hearts to reality
all without covid-proof mittins

How dare I unravel the cotton wool
What a rogue I am for assuming
that the purpose of researching
and sharing this journey
is to improve human relations
and get the people thinking

But it's not about that apparently
Although I'm not sure what it is for
I have no idea how these students will survive
once they walk out the college gates
and enter the world of the poor

I am being broken and that's ok
What worries me are the ones who aren't
How can they possibly be relevant in a world of reality
that knows nothing of this Lord
A world that's waking up from the media
to discover its shattered heart

Are these feel good lemmings going to be equipped
Can they minister in such dysfunctional spaces
be relevant to the hurting
truly make a difference
and not get their asses whipped

What is being produced here on this farm
I really don't understand
Surely God sees the picture bigger than I do
Yet this campus circus
remains provincial and ankle deep
Do I go
or carry on for the sake of my companions
It's a dilemma eating me up inside
and erroding my needed sleep

I'm not saying I'm a good student
cause I certainly know I ain't
But the methods here aren't working
The well is dry
My tongue is parched
And I am growing faint

I am thankful for all the good there's been
Especially in the warm warm fellowship
I have loved the readings
They've been perfect
But I can't perform on such a tiny stage
My legs are far too gangly
So I'm gunna have to say goodbye
It's high time I jump ship