Category: poetry

argue both sides of any issue
refuse to answer questions
that could deny confirmation
like his position regarding torture
while Bush apologists echo:

“legislate from the bench”

when it’s a matter of legislation
that is unconstitutional
it is their sworn duty to uphold,
constitutional changes by law
must be ratified

“look to foreign laws”

heaven forbid we allow any other country
be more enlightened

“integrity”

There is no integrity refusing to answer questions
we the people have the right to know.
There is no integrity concealing recent writings
of John Roberts…the old old ones being easier
to hop and skip.

Brilliance nor knowledge of current laws
describe integrity or insures wisdom.

John Roberts John Roberts
won’t you come over
break thru those chains free

if only it was a game and we were children
if only we could stop this Bork clone
by holding hands and never let go

Let the questions begin
“I’m happy to answer questions
and refuse to answer those

No answer concerning Roe vs Wade

No answer IS an answer John Roberts

rehabilitation not revenge
the little tribe tended their own
the larger the tribe the further they walked
from their own center
300 million members
out of 6.5 billion
turn around don’t drown
the spark that brings a child to life
does not die in the enemy/criminal worms outta wood
sometime somewhere along their life
the spark was snuffed but the ember lives
the ring of life is a sacred thing
from Tea Pot dome to Watergate
the sacred rights of freedoms imperiled
Federalist Bork avengers prepare…
applauding penguins echo party lines
Monday morning stoke the fire
little politicians in Washington
let go the tails of big politicians
protect we the people’s courts
start today
speak the voice of the statesman
you intended to become
now is a good day to come to the aid of the people.

(remembering Louie Armstrong)

what will this new species become
the first to comprehend their own mortality

fight for the day but live for tomorrow
sacrifice tomorrows for eternity
frenzy to witness disasters
affirmation: they die I live

Pharaohs knew enough
not to write down laws enabling
making up them as suits their whim
3,000 years it worked then

until the breaching of arid desert lands
in another fertile valley
who’s God was not man and laws were written
in stone no less, in the beginning,
the Voice of God coming, as they said,
into the heads of mortal man made prophet
predicting false prophets
preempting all future God claims

then along came Mohammad
embracing Jewish law and Christian law
adding one more: Usury Condemned

then along came Katrina
the levy breached – poverty exposed
pleading hearts crying for help
false prophets and profits rising
9/11 Pat Robertsons proclaims
allowed by God angry at America’s moral decay
as they build Crystal Temples
(live in glass house don’t throw stones)
Pat’s reward: 66 million Katrina dollars

Jeffery Rosen
“have nots want something for nothing”
half the baby boomers’ blossoms
became precious children getting everything they want
half the baby boomers’ blossoms
became throw away children
in the bowels of New Orleans
New York, Chicago you name it
the bigger the metropolis the larger the slum age
having been swiftboated, peter-principled

follow the Turquoise Trail
leading away from leaden poisons
turquoise jazz man plays our blues and gives us hope
it is Louie who led us there
it is human angels that lead us home.

abject poverty here in the US of A
Lou Dobbs got it right
almighty leaders of both political parties
pocketing pork profits following orders
vote for this i’ll give you that
pennies for the pauper oil for the guzzlers
tax payers hard earned cash milked to
feed the Golden Calves
Pat Robertson mines diamonds
looping holes of exemptions
Bush failures receive medals
whistleblowers receive axes
give the people soma
pills to sleep by
pills to energize
pills to maintain the status quo
zombies medicated to feel nothing
no sorrow, no pain, no joy
what now Miss America, Mr. Mrs. Ms.
our giant toilet bowl won’t flush
the cards are laid on the table
exposed to the eyes of the world
the great cities of Astrodomes
pass laws against panhandlers
on their shining streets of Gold
pass laws against bankruptcy
pass laws limiting Almighty Corporation’s liability
appoint judges to roll back
women’s rights to choose
Federalists Borks jump for Jesus
and right here in Silver City
lock steppers key a bumper sticker reading
“Who would Jesus bomb?”
There is no Giant Toilet King
no pie in the sky to feed the poor
disposable income is not in their vocabulary
blame is not a game it is a fact
America is the beautiful or it is the ugly
our eyes have seen the gory
of the poverty ignored
will we plant roses where misery has grown
gaited communities will not save the privileged
walls between countries will not give security
to peoples who require slaves to survive
slaves to create wealth for the idle rich
he waits, the poet writes,
for the return of the roses.