POLITICAL POETRY, JUST DON'T...

I was reading the news

giving a little time and

consideration to 

Entropy...

I counted thirteen headlines

collected and collated for

my perusal.

Five were about various

politicians "slain, destroyed,

and beat down," by some 

hot-rod youngin with red

lips and blue eyes on the 

other side. Or a wise elder 

holding court, while the jury

glowers with folded arms.

Their mouths are full of

stink and chum, with a strong 

line to trail the boat, just waiting 

for some fool across the aisle 

to take a big ole bite

of their shiny plastic lures 

with three treble hooks... And

THEY ALWAYS DO!

Seven misspelled, biased articles 

by professional reporters who have 

heard of journalism, but couldn't be 

bothered, all their sources from deep 

inside their dime-store crystal balls. 

They tell us how we

'COULD' all die,

'THINK' Yellowstone is overdue

'MIGHT' all go broke,

'MAYBE' catch a virus, or the

'POSSIBLE' sea level rise to wash us out

'PROVIDED THAT' things go our way

'UNLESS' the powerful…

"BE AFRAID, BE VERY, VERY AFRAID"

All of it spoken as fact to a people

who hear but do not listen, and believe

the lies because they are too lazy to think

through all that double talk. In the end,

we’ll do what they say and hate each other

till we die. Reportage is not a profession for 

thinkers, writers, or philosophers, but the

soulless, the mindless, and the manipulators.

Ahhh! 

The other three were misspelled,

with awful syntax, and crappy grammar,

but their intent was to tell me the things

I need to know… sometimes they even

succeed.

Author's Note

SORRY!
Someone posted one the other day, spouting their own brainwashed ideas as though they had swallowed a suppository.
PLEASE CAN WE KEEP THE FILTH OF AMERICAN POLITICS AND VITRIOL OUT OF THIS FINE VENUE?
Politics today is no subject for poetry,
it’s like using second-hand toilet paper
as a napkin...

Reviews

[Everett Dulin]

I do agree with you, a lot of the "political poetry" is just prosy rants. However, poetry(human expression in general) does often find itself with a voice. Especially from the marginalized. The politics on here are lacking the human condition that those voice had though, it is soulless. There isn't true emotion or suffering or relevations. It is people seeing something and writing about it with no insight or experience. As people my age would call it, it is complete total slop

[Vol]

It's okay to write about government, systems, freedom, dictatorship, or corruption, but the minute you mention names, you are just some hack with a personal point of view, and you've lost half your audience... and the ones left you don't really want for friends...

[FlatDaddy]

I haven't swallowed any suppositories lately, but it may be possible that was me you mentioned in your Notes -- but I don't think so. I' would gladly go a few rounds if not for the fact that I think I have found my Messiah! Holy Mother of Metaphors, you write like you were me, only better.

"Their mouths are full of
stink and chum, with a strong
line to trail the boat, just waiting
for some fool across the isle
to take a big ole bite ..."

I swear that was just in my head, waiting for me to find some paper. You are crazy good, my friend. May I call you friend? Will you spell my name right? What's my next poem called?

I have a whole lot of toilet paper.

FD

[Vol]

FlatDaddy,
Again, sir, I beg your pardon... And in the dead Llano Estacado, where time is something visible stretche out to th horizon like a five wire fence, and gravitational pull to another thinking body is a warp Ineed... So, looks like we are poets witn something in common...
Vol

[FlatDaddy]

Well, I'm no Shelley Armitage, but I do think you and I have a few things to talk about .. like spelling ...

FD

[Vol]

Hahaha... the lack of spelling skills is the ark of high intelligence.... So... here you go, Please FlatDaddy, forgive my lack of attention to your need for propper spelling... especially because I'm a super-brilliant retired English teacher... I only misspell the names of those I respect the most...
Vol

[FlatDaddy]

Damn, I can smell the grease from here. But Vol, I only mention spelling because I want to make sure I clearly understand your brilliant, amazing gibberish: propper spelling, indeed.

FD

[FlatDaddy]

BTW. I do hope you know I'm just playing. I haven't had anyone to play with for over 20 years. It's invigorating and addictive. And also BTW, my wife is very smart -- and probably the worst speller in the world! I am deadly serious, Vol; I don't think she could spell "I" without getting a hint first. Ah, but I love her so!

[Vol]

FlatDaddy,
Well, we are of an age... I am sure we can sharpen our foils for awhile... This should be fun...
Now, so you know from me, I am at my mother's deathbed over here in North Carolina. I will be much out of touch but live on here anyway... just hit or miss for a while. And Good t' know ya, pardoner,
Vol

[FlatDaddy]

I do feel your pain, Vol. This month is the two year anniversary of my oldest brother, who was my hero, Chief Master Sergeant in the US Air Force, James Milton Watson. He served for 30 years and was the finest man, PERSON, i ever knew. I dread that day.July 9th. The day I lost my hero, my brother.

[Vol]

Oh, MAN... I've lost few in my life, my family tends to live forever... mom was 96, my hero, cowboy brother-in-law...They leave deep pockest of longing, don't they?

[FlatDaddy]

Oh, yes they do, my friend. I look forward to the 9th, if only to get it over with. But that doesn't happen. Instead, I'll use it as a day of remembrance. And damn, I'm tearing up just thinking of it. Gotta go, J. Take care.

[Vol]

FlatDaddy
Ain't we tough...., if he right person says something nice out of the blue, things get wet...
Vol

[redd Brick Keshner]

My sentiments exactly! Our hashtags and recommendations are littered with ravings and rantings about those whose names should not be mentioned. And yet, negative publicity is still publicity. Like that song, you probably think this song is about you... you're so vain! lol 🕊️🙏🏻

[Vol]

Wrute about the Republic, Democracy, Freedom, But no one give a s**t how you feel about some politician in the news... so shallow!

[redd Brick Keshner]

Ah yes. I could imagine it being so. Sort of like pulling an editorial caricature but in poem form, not an easy task and sometimes requiring the braving of certain waters🙏🏻🕊️

[FlatDaddy]

Oh, please! I accept the challenge!. It could be another WC contest, but I don't want to moderate this one -- I want to win it! I cut my wisdom teeth on this kind of stuff. Bring it on! "A Poetic Editorial Caricature" contest. We should ban any entry with Trump as rhe subject -- just in case, you know?

FlatDaddy

[Lorry]

I have no opinion on the bias of journalists, but I do reckon that they are told to intentionally mispell words, to get you spluttering over your cornflakes of a morning.
It can't just be a coincidence that they all come across as semi literate morons who haven't even guessed as to the use of spell checker, or as I call it "spillchucker "
As for politics in poetry, is no one else seeing how all the world's leaders are trying to get away with "Trumperance! (Trump and arrogance) as they see it has only made him more popular, foursome inexplicable reason.
But beware politicos, as our very own Keir Starmer tried and failed miserably by trying to claw back benefits to the Tulane of billions from the disabled, only for his own government to rebel and put a leash on the arrogant little something that rhymes with burd!
And don't get me started on what kinda name is Keir for a guy! Judging by him, I reckon it derives from the Latin that means acting smug for absolutely zero discernible reason!
Okay, I reckon showing an interest in politics should be enough to blacklist you from ever holding office, but they do make you even side with serial killers in a game of onedownmanship!

[Vol]

Lorry,
Current events, especially as presented to us all curated, dissected, diagnosed, operated on, killed, and resurrected as valid subjets for poetry is as welcome as a fresh cow pie on a dinner plate. Here in America I've heard so much shallow thinking on the subject a I can stand... I sure don't need it on my WC Buffet...
Vol

[FlatDaddy]

Boys, I see it, too, and agree -- to a point. I aint taking down, "How to Get Elected" for anybody!
FD

[Lorry]

True FD. You just have to look at how every world leader I'd doing the same messed up stuff, now that they see it works!

[FlatDaddy]

... and so it goes

[John the Baptist]

Indeed, it just ain't the way Ike done it. And there is no poetry in it. I can't imagine reviewing political propaganda that was submitted as poetry.
PS: Thanks for the second hand toilet paper/napkin image. Luckily, I didn't see it until after dinner.

[Vol]

The violators of this policy are weak minded and need a strong image...

[jacob erin-cilberto]

I like your line about reporters who have heard of journalism but couldn't be bothered.
I think politics mixes with poetry if it is kept subtle and poetic. Straight rants are just that...rants. And those belong in a totally different venue.
j.

[Vol]

Jacob,
Politics without specific party or politician, or identifying name of a program...it is all hatred based in shallow, selfish thinking and it's a sacrilege to inflict others with some narrowminded garbage of their own making The very IDEA!... besides that, why bother when no matter what it is, it will be gone in three days. and your poem is already a waste. It gives me the same creeps as AI.
There is no party not wallowing in evil and deception... the natural consequence of lives dedicated to telling everyone else how to live.
(Sorry, man... this vent refuses to close... pant, pant, pant.
Vol

[jacob erin-cilberto]

Hey, vent away my friend. And yes, both parties are miserable and care about their own fits and who cares about the people...we vote them in and they ignore us.

[FlatDaddy]

Crap, I just saw the Senate passed Rump's "Big Beautiful Shill" == we're fucked if it passes the House.