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Mad Scientist

3quiet

00:00 / 03:48

HOW I'VE SURVIVED FASCISM SO FAR (PART NINE)

Midas Touch

I recently discovered that a scientist was conducting an experiment on me. He had somehow hypnotized me so that whenever I saw an image of a king, I would also see golden coins all around me.
One day I saw an image of King Midas--the legendary king who could turn everything he touched into gold.

Raining Gold Coins

Suddenly I saw golden coins raining down all around me, but when I tried to pick one of them up, I discovered that the coin was as liquid as water. The coins weren't real.

Bag Filled with Gold

Then I saw an image of a king holding up a bag filled with gold. Many people surrounded the king. They had all given the king gifts of gold.

Singing in the Rain

Suddenly I felt again like golden coins were raining down on me. I couldn't help but sing with joy, but I soon discovered again that the golden coins weren't real.

King Surrounded by Minions

Then I saw an image of a king surrounded by jellyfish-like minions.

Path of Gold

Suddenly I saw a path of gold on the street. Nobody else seemed to see the golden coins. I bent down to pick up a coin but discovered that the coins weren't there either.

Golden Path through the Forest

I followed the unreal gold into the forest, hoping that I would eventually find a pile of real gold at the end of the path.

Camp Guard

Eventually I came to some kind of camp. A guard welcomed me in.
I told him, "I have followed a path of gold to this camp, but the gold was not real." Then I asked, "Did the path lead me here because there is a pile of real gold here somewhere?
"Sure, I can show you a real pile of gold," the guard replied. "Follow me."

Golden Watches and Jewelry

"Here is your pile of gold," the guard stated as he pulled out a pistol. "Please, my friend, place whatever gold you have on this pile."
"But I don't have any gold," I whined. "That is why I followed the unreal path of gold to this camp."

Room for Shoes

"Please follow me. I will show you a different room that you might like," the guard claimed.
When he opened the door, I saw only a pile of shoes. "I don't get it. T--this is just a pile of shoes!" I exclaimed.
"Well, since you didn't have any gold, you can at least place your shoes at the top of this pile," the guard smiled.
"But I really need my shoes to get back home!" I complained.
The guard pointed his gun at me, so I quickly took off my shoes and threw them on top of the pile.

Portraits

Barefooted, I followed the guard to another room.
"Here, we keep portraits of children who have lived here," the guard claimed. "We are very proud of our children. We have studied them and experimented on them to understand as much as we can about vermin biology."
"Are they still alive?" I inquired weakly.
"Some of them, I think," the guard replied.

Gas Chamber

The guard guided me at gun-point to another room. "This is the gas chamber where we exterminate the vermin," the guard revealed.
"Wha, wha, why are you showing me this?" I stuttered.
"Don't worry. All will be revealed," the guard claimed.

Oven

The guard guided me to a another building and showed me some ovens. "This is where we burn the bodies of the vermin."

Charred Bones

Then the guard showed me a pile of charred bones. "Unfortunately, the ovens don't burn up all the bones completely," the guard sighed.

Inmates

Then the guard guided me outside. Some camp inmates were digging a hole. Some of the inmates had two shovels. "The vermin bury the charred bones of their own kind. The faster they work, the longer they live," the guard stated matter-of-factly.

Real King

Then the guard showed me the picture of a king. "This is where you find out why you're here," the guard asserted. "If you pledge your loyalty by saluting your king, you will not end up like the vermin here. If you want to be released, you must now show your undying loyalty to the king." The guard pointed his gun at me and shouted, "Salute your true king now and pledge your undying loyalty to him or die like all the other vermin!"
I saluted the king and pledged my undying loyalty to him. Then the guard released me, and I stumbled with bloody feet back home through the forest.

All poems, stories, essays, illustrations, and music Copyright © 2025 by Jim Robbins.

Sin City Magician

tree

00:00 / 05:36

HOW I'VE SURVIVED FASCISM SO FAR (PART TEN)

Apartment in Sin City

After I had lived in Sin City (also known as the El Dorado District) for several months, I discovered that my neighbor is secretly a magician. He offered to help me survive this fascist era--for a small fee. He claimed that he could transform me into a different shape of my choice, human or animal--that way, no fascist would be able to recognize me. He also claimed that if I wasn't happy with the shape, all I needed to do was shout out the safe word "fascist." He would hear me and shape-shift me into some other form of my choosing.

Seraph (Burning One)

I gave a check for two hundred dollars to the magician. Then I asked him to change me into a seraph, a burning one--an angel of fire. I thought for sure that fascists would be intimidated by me, but I soon discovered that people were not afraid of me--a lot of people just wanted to kidnap me and sell me to a science lab or a museum or a zoo. I felt like a circus attraction, and I soon tired of the attempts to kidnap me. I shouted my safe word, "Fascist!" Then I pleaded, "Turn me into a fly!"

Huge Fly

I thought that as a fly I would be so small and fast that most people wouldn't see me or pay any attention to me. Unfortunately, I shape-shifted into a huge fly, and people tried to smash me with baseball bats or shovels. Fortunately, I could quickly fly away from them all. One person slowly approached me, claiming to be a scientist. He assured me that he only wanted to study me and perhaps conduct a few painless experiments on me. "Fascist!" I shouted. "Turn me into a bird!"

Peacock on Display

Suddenly I turned into a peacock. My iridescent feathers attracted many people. Children especially liked to chase me in an effort to pluck out my most scintillating feathers. I discovered that I was capable of short-distant flight, but I soon grew tired of the constant attempts to pluck out my feathers. The kids were almost as bad a fascists.

Wild Turkey

After a while, I became so fed up that I yelled, "Fascist! Turn me into a turkey!" After I transformed into a turkey, I managed to fly over a wall and scurry into a forest. I thought that people would leave me alone since I was a bit unattractive--at least compared to the peacock. I didn't realize that a lot of people hunt wild turkeys for Thanksgiving. A few people shot at me. One even tried to kill me using a bow and arrow. "The hunters are as bad as fascists!" I thought to myself.

Wildcat about to Pounce

I wondered if I might be safer as a squirrel. After all, if a predator attacked me, I could climb a tree or dive into a hole. However, I soon discovered that mountain lions soundlessly stalk squirrels and then pounce on them. After mountain lions had tried to pounce on me three times, I decided that I needed to shape-shift into something else. "These wildcats are as bad as fascists," I mumbled.

King in a Hole

"Fascist!" I shouted. "Turn me into a king!" I thought that if I were a king, people would fear me and bow down to me. Unfortunately, as a squirrel, I had grown fond of the comfort and safety of a deep, dark hole. I also discovered that most people really don't like kings. A few tried to assassinate me. Maybe they thought I was trying to be some kind of royal fascist. Unfortunately I was a little too vulnerable all by myself as a king in the forest. I needed guards and an army to protect me--but that wasn't part of the deal I had struck with the Sin City magician.

Gnome in Lupine and Poppies

"Fascist!" I yelled. "Turn me into a gnome!" I thought that if people saw me, they would be nonplused or fascinated or think that I was cute and magical. Unfortunately a lot of people chased me, hoping to capture me and sell me to a circus or a zoo or a science lab. I thought that if I were going to be different, I also needed to be extremely powerful, more powerful even than an oligarch or a dictator.

Saturn on His Throne

"Fascist!" I shouted. "Turn me into a God!" I sat on a throne by the sea. People pretended to worship me, but almost all of them wanted something from me, like great wealth or power. Many wanted to be like fascists so they could control a lot of other people. After a while I just got sick of it. I wanted people to leave me alone. I decided to shape-shift into a monster.

Troll

"Fascist!" I yelled. "Turn me into a large troll!" As a troll, I scared everyone. Most people scurried away from me in absolute terror. I thought that was fun at first, but after a long time without any human companionship, I started to get kind of lonely. I wanted to be a God again, but one who could make lovely, haunting music and have a relationship with people.

Pan

"Fascist!" I shouted. "Turn me into the God Pan!" I liked making music and mixing with friendly people who just wanted to live a satisfying, rustic life. Fascists didn't like the happiness and contentment that we were all experiencing. They wanted people to hate each other and hurt each other. The fascists tried to cage me many times. I, of course, as a powerful God, could become quite violent. However, I didn't like harming people, not even fascists.

Goat Outside of a Shop

Since I was so happy as a goat god, I decided that maybe the fascists would leave me alone if I were just a goat. I hoped the magician could still hear me. It had been a while since I had last used my safe word. "Fascist!" I yelled. "Turn me into a goat!" I didn't know then that goat meat happened to be the most consumed meat in the world. Soon I found myself in a butcher shop--and I had to shape-shift fast into something else.

Coyote on a Suburban Street

"Fascist!" I shouted. "Turn me into a coyote!" I thought as a coyote that I would be able to live peacefully in the forest, but soon developers cleared away all the trees and built houses everywhere in the foothills. Soon, my home was gone. I had to scrounge for food in the suburbs. People didn't like me eating their pets, however. A few of them hounded me throughout the neighborhood.

Child Separation

Just before a hunter was about to shoot me, I exclaimed, "Fascist! Turn me into a human child!" I thought that maybe humans would treat me with a bit more tenderness if I were a baby. A man and a woman soon adopted me. I was happy with them for quite a while, but then masked men without identification took my parents away and sent them to a concentration camp without due process.

Polar Bear on Melting Ice

I was tired of what humans were doing to each other. "Fascist!" I shouted. "Turn me into a polar bear!" Unfortunately there wasn't much ice left due to global warming. I didn't like swimming all the time in ice-cold water. I realized then that I was occasionally happier as a human being. I ended up thinking a long time about what kind of human I wanted to be.

Juggler (Two of Pentacles)

"Fascist!" I exclaimed. "Turn me into a juggler!" I soon found myself juggling pentacles within an infinity symbol while I danced and sang. I enjoyed entertaining people (who sometimes threw money at me). As a juggler, I didn't threaten the fascists, and they ignored me. I was finally kind of happy--as happy as I could be within the current circumstances.

All poems, stories, essays, illustrations, and music Copyright © 2025 by Jim Robbins.

Storm Clouds in the Office

findin

00:00 / 04:01

HOW I'VE SURVIVED FASCISM SO FAR (PART ELEVEN)

Rhinestone Boss

I needed to find another job. I applied at a corporation, and a few days later a secretary invited me to a job interview. When I stepped into the office, I noticed black clouds hanging above the large table in the middle of the room. Already a bit nervous, I tried my best to avoid looking at the strange clouds as the interviewers asked me questions. I said whatever they wanted to hear and smiled a lot and tried to appear friendly to everyone in the room. After the interview, a secretary called me and asked me to come in to meet my new boss, who wanted to give me a tour of the office. After I arrived, my new boss, dressed in a rhinestone suit, shook my hand and guided me through the office to meet some of my coworkers.
"I should probably warn you," my new boss stated. "We like to think of 'McPrison Inc' as a progressive, trend-setting corporation. You're going to see a few things that you might consider unusual or even a little amazing. Besides having provided necessary resources to the private prison industry over the years, we now also provide special assistance to the government--which has recently passed legislation that enables corporations to build and maintain 'criticism cells' within our office buildings. In other words, the government provides us with funding for imprisoning anyone who criticizes the king or capitalism or any aspect of our glorious traditional way of life. Please, follow me. Let me introduce you to Ms. Jones, my former secretary."

Criticism Cell #1

We strolled past several offices and came upon a cell that contained an elderly woman. My new boss continued, "Ms. Jones criticized the king for passing a big, beautiful bill that gutted the social safety net--her main complaint being about how the huge cuts to health care programs are going to hurt children and the elderly and people with disabilities. Even though Ms. Jones had provided decades of service to this corporation, we were forced to imprison her in this 'criticism cell' because she had committed a serious crime, which is now tantamount to a potential act of terrorism."

Criticism Cell #2

We strolled past several more offices and came upon another cell. The boss continued, "This guy, whose name escapes me at the moment, Mr. Gomez, I think it is, or something like that, criticized the king for ordering masked thugs without any identification to kidnap people off the street and send them without due process to concentration camps. Sorry, Jesus, or whatever your name is. Even though you might have done great work for the corporation, you committed a serious crime, a potential act of terrorism, and now you have to do the time."

Criticism Cell #3

"How do you like the tour so far?" My new boss asked me.
"Just wonderful, sir," I replied enthusiastically.
Soon we came upon another criticism cell. "This guy is just a damn rabble rouser," My new boss claimed. "He's a radical left-wing lunatic who tried to convince hard-working people who serve this corporation to start a labor union--which is an indicator of potential radical left-wing violence. We have witnesses who claim that he was also criticizing capitalism and our traditional way of life. By doing so, according to Directive Number Seven signed by our great King, he might remain locked up as a potential terrorist for the rest of his life."

Criticism Cell #4

We continued our leisurely tour and soon found another criticism cell. "This guy criticized our beloved Christianity, which, my friend, is Blasphemy with a capital B! He had the gall to claim that Christianity nowadays is the exact opposite of what Jesus teaches in the bible. He insists that Jesus commands us to love one another and to treat others the way we want to be treated. This radical nutjob claims that Jesus commends those who give food to the hungry and drink to the thirsty and those who clothe the naked and lift up the poor--and that individuals and nations shall be judged by how we treat the stranger, you know immigrants and refugees. This anit-Christian vermin claims Jesus taught that 'what you do for the least of these, you do for me,' or something like that. Ridiculous! We know that Jesus was definitely not a radical left-wing lunatic like this weirdo. We all know that what you do for the most powerful within a corporation profits everyone within the corporation. It all trickles down, right?"
"Yes, sir," I responded.

Criticism Cell #5

At the next criticism cell, the boss pointed out, "This young lady claimed that she almost died because it's now against the law for doctors to perform necessary reproductive health care procedures. She shouted that in this realm we only care about the fetus, not the mother--and not the baby after it's born. She was so shrill that she sounded like a terrorist. She went way too far in her criticism of our always admirable way of life. We're still determining whether or not we should consider her criticism as a potential act of terrorism."

Criticism Cell #6

"I would like to show you one more criticism cell before we finish our tour," my new boss said. "This young lady complained about being an independent contractor who doesn't receive a living wage and doesn't receive benefits like health insurance or a pension. She complained that she will probably never be hired as a full-time employee. That's true for the vast majority of our workers here. Why does she think that she's so special? On top of that, a witness claimed that she complained about how the king had commanded his paramilitary forces to kidnap people and murder them without any due process. She needs to get real and stop being so hostile to our social and corporate values. We like her. We really don't want to consider her 'the enemy within.'"

Journey to the Tarot Realm

At the end of the tour, I thanked my new boss. He smiled and shook my hand. When I got home from work, I put on my armor and headed through the enchanted forest back to the Tarot Realm.

Mr. Mellifluous in the Enchanted Forest

As I hiked through the forest, I unexpectedly met Mr. Mellifluous. "I've heard that people in your realm are suffering terribly from fear and hatered, mainly bacause of your new king's maniacal need for total domination, and I see that you are heading back to the Tarot Realm."
"Yeah," I replied. "I need to return to a place where some sanity prevails."
"Here in the enchanted forest," Mr. Mellifluous replied, "you will meet warring and ministering angels who will support you. They will follow you if you decide to head back to your realm. They will not show themselves in your realm, but you will often feel their presence."

Surrounded by Wild Beasts

Mr. Mellifluous vanished. Suddenly I could sense that wild beasts were surrounding me. I drew my sword just as I realized that I was outnumbered. I wondered for a second if I should at least try to run away from them.

Warring Angel

A warring angel, who looked like a mountain lion dressed in armor, suddenly appeared near me. He screeched and growled and screeched again and the beasts turned and dashed away. "I wish I could that!" I exclaimed.
"You have your own talents, my friend," he replied. "But I will support you in your battles on a spiritual level if you return to your own realm--I will be there for you even though you won't be able to see me."

Ministering Angel

Soon I encountered a ministering angel. "You have to decide if you are going to return to your realm," she stated. "Because you are a knight, you are needed there. I will be there for you. Sometimes you will hear my voice or feel an intuition."

King of Pentacles

I continued hiking through the forest and eventually came to a castle where I encountered the King of Pentacles sitting on his throne. "Have faith, my friend!" the King proclaimed. "You are a knight who knows the dimensions of Universal Consciousness. You learned how to be a knight here in the Tarot Realm, and you have shown that you have great courage and discipline. You have lived a life of quiet heroism in this realm, and you can do the same in other realms that need you. You can help others in your realm move beyond panic and fear to quiet heroism in the face of what appears to be insurmountable odds. I would like you to stay here with us, of course, but you are needed in the realm from which you came--far more than you are needed here. As you return to your realm, you will meet other warring and ministering angels in the enchanted forest who will support you, my friend."
I bowed before the King and stated, "I will return to my realm, great King, at your bidding," I replied. The King smiled and nodded.

Another Warring Angel

As I hiked back through the enchanted forest, I encountered an eagle dressed in armor--another warring angel. "I see from the perspective of eternity, and I will help you in your battles against lawlessness and injustice and corruption. You might sometimes feel hopeless, but remember that I am with you."

Another Ministering Angel

Soon I encountered another ministering angel, who stated, "When you return to your realm, you will find that another terrible crisis is occurring. I will support you through the darkest of times," she assured me.

Another Plague

As soon as I got back to my realm, I could see that another pandemic had started raging. "I am going to call on you, my warring and ministering angels, soon and often. I will need your help often and soon," I muttered.

All poems, stories, essays, illustrations, and music Copyright © 2025 by Jim Robbins.

Castle in the Clouds

buck

00:00 / 05:09

HOW I'VE SURVIVED FASCISM SO FAR (PART TWELVE)

Insane Walls

I decided to visit the castle in the clouds where the king and queen resided--so far above the rest of the world. A golden crown topped the tallest tower. The castle seemed so far from all the troubles of the world, yet for some reason the king had commanded a sculptor to decorate the walls of the castle with insane faces.

King Toll

I discovered that every day many people gathered to visit the king and that he expected a gift in return for his political or economic favors. One person gave him a golden tchotchke and one group bought his bitcoin for millions of dollars and another group gave him a large airplane. He rewarded those who gave him expensive gifts by granting their wishes--whatever those might be.

Queen Thaumaturge

The king had an insatiable desire for great wealth and power--even after he had become obscenely rich and had achieved absolute domination. He wanted to control the entire world. The king ordered his secret police to kidnap people and send them to concentration camps without due process and also to conduct extrajudicial executions of people who might have threatened him. Many people began to protest in the streets. The king ordered the military to use full force against them. Consequently, the vast majority didn't want to be ruled by a king anymore.
The queen realized that the rabble might overthrow their rule, so she organized a subtle way to attack his enemies.

Upside Down Throne

The queen cast a spell that turned the king's throne upside down--and he didn't even notice. The queen told the king her plan, and he agreed that they should resort to extreme measures, whatever they might be.

Burners

Even with all of his wealth and power, the king wasn't satisfied. He fantasized about destroying his enemies and burning everything down and remaking the political and economic system so that only he and his loyal friends would benefit from the realm's great abundance.

Lion Angel

The day I visited the castle, I noticed the king in his upside-down throne and realized immediately that something was terribly wrong. In my mind's eye, I could see a fiery demon on a horse, and I summoned a lion angel with rainbow wings and humbly asked the angel to stop the demon who was burning down so much of the kingdom.

Witchy Woman

The warring angel stopped the demon in its tracks and drove it away. The burners disappeared. The queen gazed at me and understood what I had done and sent a sorceress to curse me.

Ministering Angel in a Cave

As the sorceress was casting a spell, I escaped to a cave near the castle. Suddenly I heard the voice of a ministering angel: "The queen will gather all of her witches and sorcerers to destroy you. Every day you must ask your warring angels to protect you."

Malicious Demon #1

I found an inn in a nearby town. Just as I was about to go to bed, a demon appeared in the room. I dashed outside and asked a warring angel to protect me.

Wildcat Angel

The warring angel, whom I had met not long ago in the enchanted forest, drove the demon away.

Ministering Angel in a Wheatfield

I hiked away from the castle and encountered a ministering angel in a wheatfield. "The king and queen want all of this abundance for themselves. The queen has commanded her witches and sorcerers to destroy you. No matter how far you go, you will not be able to escape from the dark forces. You are a powerful knight in this three dimensional realm, but you cannot protect yourself from these dark forces. Only the warring angels can protect you because they exist in same subtle dimension as the dark forces. The warring angels can drive the demons away and close their portals. You must continue to ask for the protection of the warring angels."

Malicious Demon #2

I located another place to stay in a different town. Just as I was about to take a nap, I glimpsed a demon sitting on my bed.

Eagle Angel

I rushed out the door to a nearby stream, where I encountered a warring angel who resembled an eagle. "Demons are following me everywhere I go!" I exclaimed.
"Don't worry. I will take care of it," the angel replied as he flew off.
When I returned to my room in the inn, the demon was gone.

Another Ministering Angel

Soon I encountered another ministering angel, who stated, "Not all dark forces manifest as demons. Sometimes dark forces possess bodies and turn people into beasts or monsters. You must beware, for I sense that one is nearby, ready to attack. You can kill the body of the man but not the demonic force possessing the body."

Werewolf Demon

Soon I encountered a man who had turned into a wolf. I wasn't sure what I should do. Then I remembered the words of the ministering angel, and I invoked a warring angel.

Earthly Warring Angel

Immediately a warring angel who looked like a deer appeared and drove the demon away.
"How long do I have to deal with these demons?" I whined.
"We are here to neutralize dark forces to create balance," the angel replied. "As knights, we shall continue until we fulfill our purpose, no matter how long it takes."

All poems, stories, essays, illustrations, and music Copyright © 2025 by Jim Robbins.

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