New Poem: RICHARD DREYFUSS THEN AND NOW

 recalling the 70s “cuddly wiseacre”

 who presented as a progressive Democrat

 came back from substance abuse in the 80s

 had an impressive run of films for awhile

 careers don’t stay at the peak forever

 then the movies got smaller

 a TV series was short-lived

 and the “cuddly wiseacre” began to curdle 

 engaging in transphobia and other hate rants

 climaxing with chasing New Englanders 

 away from a screening of the classic JAWS

 but enough people applauded and stayed

 to ensure more performative reputational destruction 

 at public venues for the foreseeable future 

Revised: THE COWARDICE POEM

here’s to the people who look the other way

when someone is encouraging the crowd

to close their eyes to simple decency

and support wholesale deportation

plus persecution of children and teens

over which gender they identify as

and what bathrooms they use

>

here’s to the television news channels

on the left and the right

who look at neo-fascist “campaign rallies”

as ratings opportunities--

waiting until old-fashioned newspapers

do actual reporting

before asking questions--

but not saying “fascism” or “lies”

because it displays a lack of “balance”

>

here’s to the people on social networks

who “don’t want to get political”

when friends and family

post ugly remarks and bigoted jokes

in loud support of their favorite prejudices

>

how will you cope with

the future you helped create

by doing the same old things

in the same old ways?