panjandrum

with every click

their power grows

these internet panjandrums

wielding arbitrary sway

over the unwashed masses

replacing bread and circuses

with seamless and youtube

diverting attention

from the fall of empire

with a video of a cat on a roomba

they take our money and our data

with a hashtag and thumbs up

and play upon our fear

of missing the next big meme

so we never notice the great divide

becoming a chasm

click

click

click