New Poem: TRUMP INDICTMENT RAMBLE

the 2024 GOP hopefuls can’t free their hands from the hem of his now-soiled garment after seven years of marching through the land of winning ugly and encouraging violence from the followers allergic to thinking for themselves and gasps arose from the Manhattan studios of Fox News Channel plus prayers for this to pull focus from the Dominion suit regarding the 2020 election and there will be more potential indictments and tribulations to come now that a former President can be arrested and tried like any other citizen 

Old Poem from first wave of Iraq War in 2003

GIVE ME SOME OF THAT OLD-TIME XENOPHOBIA

(a memoir of the first wave of the Iraq War in 2003)

They did it in World War I

when sauerkraut was known as “liberty cabbage”.

They did it in World War II

when actor Eduardo Ciannelli changed his first name to Edward. 

They did it during the 1979-81

Iran hostage crisis

when pictures of Mickey Mouse circulated widely.

Mickey raised his right middle-finger.

The caption was HEY IRAN!

Now, it’s being done again.

And it’s not even against

an enemy country.

A café owner in Santa Barbara

changes French fries to Uncle Sam Fries. 

People, showing off for TV cameras, 

threaten to boycott camembert cheese. 

French wine is poured into the gutter. 

David Letterman makes derogatory jokes 

about the French in WWII.

I stay indoors,

scared of being scarred

by thoughtless hatred

wearing the mask of patriotism, 

wishing it could be safe to say 

“God Bless The World”

instead of

“God Bless America”.

New Poem: AUTUMNAL

 older slower quieter

 no need to overreact 

 re-examine what happened 

 choice B preferable to choice taken

 >

 listen to the old rock band

 remake their past songs

 feel the need to alter lyrics 

 filtered through distance of age

 >

 sing along with me

 autumnal

 autumnal

 au tum tum tum nal 

 

 

 

 

GOOD SOLDIER (REVISED)

focus on the door

at the end of the hallway

start walking

follow most rules

forget some of them

question others when alone

get head slaps

bruised knuckles 

deep red voices 

vibrating eardrums 

warnings you’ll be fired 

if you fail to park 

in the proper place

>

rarely get compliments

>

decide if the door is worth opening

after years of repetitive motions

trying to please others

without losing yourself 

and worrying about notes in your file

>

if you’re promoted,

don’t be that person

who screams/punches/kneecaps

be the mentor 

only a few people

took the time to be with you

when it’s time for new recruits 

to take the employee walk

wherever it may lead

BEST FILMS/TV OF 2022: THIRD DRAFT

THE BANSHEES OF INISHERIN

PETIT MAMAN

HAPPENING

LIVING

AFTERSUN

ARMAGEDDON TIME

THE ETERNAL DAUGHTER 

NOPE

HATCHING

RESURRECTION 

SPECTOR

SR.

THE DROP OUT

THE LAST MOVIE STARS

GLASS ONION: A KNIVES OUT MYSTERY 

DECISION TO LEAVE 

HONORABLE MENTION: TAR, THE FABELMANS, CRIMES OF THE FUTURE, ELVIS, BROS, WATCHER, MEN, EMPIRE OF LIGHT, CORSAGE, HOLD ME TIGHT

New Poem: ODE TO CHRIS CUOMO

 see that news person crying in the corner

 he was fired for dubious ethical decisions

 and he tried to keep his even more dubious brother in power

 now he cries ice cubes like a penguin in a Bugs Bunny cartoon

 wailing about the big comedown of working for NewsNation

 oh I’ll never again be Number One, he despairs

 then a smile breaks through the misery

 he yells to the other patrons:

 wait until I win my $125 million arbitration suit against CNN

 as Alisyn Camerota appears on the big screen TV

 in the time slot he thought he might own forever

Revised Poem: RETRAIN THE POLICE 2023

 leave the robot dogs 

 in the equipment yard

 strip off the military gear 

 if you’re not SWAT

 melt the tanks 

 into scrap metal 

 for infrastructure 

 treat Black and Brown people 

 just like White people 

 learn to take a deep breath

 before drawing taser or pistol

 and stop treating the poisonous apples 

 so quick to judge and execute

 as if they should get

 a Medal of Valor 

 for wearing a uniform 

 they don’t deserve

 

BEST FILMS/TV OF 2022: SECOND DRAFT

THE BANSHEES OF INISHERIN

PETIT MAMAN

HAPPENING

LIVING

AFTERSUN

ARMAGEDDON TIME

NOPE

HATCHING

RESURRECTION 

SPECTOR

SR.

THE DROP OUT

THE LAST MOVIE STARS

GLASS ONION: A KNIVES OUT MYSTERY 

DECISION TO LEAVE 

HONORABLE MENTION: TAR, THE FABELMANS, CRIMES OF THE FUTURE, ELVIS, BROS, WATCHER, MEN, EMPIRE OF LIGHT