They impeached the man who balanced the books
And left the wealth the smirkster pissed away,
Shredding the treasury to pad the crooks,
The righteous frauds, and simple fools—the clay
Foundations for his fraught rapacious ends.
The surplus spent, that serpent peddled bonds
To fatten even more his oily friends.
And beady Cheney waves his magic wand
To make invisible the rav’ning mouths
Devouring the commonwealth—“Who cares
About the deficit? Clean air? About
Disease, those dead who people this nightmare?”
That no one’s shot them yet (it’s hard! they hide!)
I know. But dammit, no one’s even tried!
10/18/05
“Get over it!” roared Shelly when I tried
To joke about the reelected Bush.
“Love your country dammit! Adjust! We fried
Your liberal ass.” “But how can I stay hushed,
Watch quietly while Bushies choke dissent?”
“Then leave!” (red-faced), “I’ll gladly pay your fare!”
Sorry the next day (‘cause I’m old and bent),
Shelly said, “Let’s talk.” “Nah,” said I, “I care
Blood deep (no more civility), too cold
For friendly disagreement; too damn scared
Of poisoned air, of endless war. We’re sold,
Crushed by debt to furnish corporate lairs.
Detritus of a man who talks to god—
Proud to know nothing. President? How odd.”
10/16/05
Raging corporate sound bites flood the air,
Inundate our wits, drown our flaccid minds
Beneath chatter waves; debris survives. Bare
Float-wrack–those words that weave the ties that bind.
Not lies, exactly, yet surely not the truth.
Cliché-ridden claques affront our ears
With cunning slogans that project a brute
Hypnotic power—paralyzing fear.
Worried lemmings, possessed by what they hear,
Squeal “Hallelujah!” and race to the abyss,
Encouraged (by the meretricious hiss
Of sound bites) to impale themselves on spears.
American democracy—dim torch!
But hey, it’s swell, ‘cause “freedom’s on the march!”
10/15/05
“What’re you gonna do this afternoon
Marv?” “Well, Sam, I’m seventy-five; I think
I’ve done enough. Besides, we are all doomed—
Chum for predators, gaping maws that stink
Of oil, of pharmaceuticals, of god–
And most of all they stink of righteousness.”
“But Marv, your principles, your anger? Odd
That you’d surrender them, not act, confess
Dispirited despair. Do something man!”
“Well Sam, there might be one thing left to do.
Perhaps I’ll huff and puff and try to fan
Alive the ashy embers of some truth.
Then, enflamed, scorched by moral passion,
Discover destiny as an assassin.
(10/14/05)
My heart’s a spider, venomous
And hidden, casting hammocks
Hung to hold your weight.
Rest here, untensed, succumb.
All open loving lie.
Then die.
(1967)
Has anyone taken the cuckold’s part?
When, with a chisel of truth,
She tapped his heart
And shrugged them loose—
The tangled worms—
Whispering hoots
Beyond derision. When, softly turning
Coiled, recoiling, their incessant
Snickering shivers that brittle heart—
Will anyone take the cuckold’s part?
(1967)
Weedy wight, nervous soul,
Inclinéd oft to cough—
Metabolism, basal, high,
Reedy ectomorph.
Grecian stature, hard, bold,
To you our hats we doff—
Gatherer of laurel wreaths,
Mighty mesomorph.
But swift, strong sporting men,
For all the praise we sing,
Are liege to rotund royalty—
Endomorph is king.
Ensconced upon a placid throne
Flaccidly, he sweats.
While his vassals vie for fame,
He books the bets.
(1949)
