Looking through a crate of poems. This one was

“on the presidential debate” -it was october, and a war was going on.

So here’s an old poem from the last war, about a Presidential debate.

***

My Debate

…I understand the President’s speech after 911

I understand it.

…To change the world, throw it all forward, everything at stake-

I understand it.

…I understand the philosopher’s dilemma:

To change the world through ethics seek justice, everything at stake-

I understand it.

…The victim’s cry

I understand it

To throw it forward so all can hear-

I understand it.

…My place in the world

I understand it

my push toward truth let go the lie-

I understand it.

…The call of the World

I understand it

To throw it forward sight unseen

I understand it.

10/10/2004

Walrus -and the Democrat.

a doggerel from the last war

(10/11/2006)

To the tune of “The Walrus and the Carpenter”

Republicans and Democrats were walking arm in arm

“A little conflict far away shan’t do us any harm.”

Said Republican to Democrat, “I know what we shall do. We’ll bomb a nation far away from peaceful me and you.”

“‘Twas them that attacked-not we,” concurred his Democratic friend, though who ‘they’ were eluded, as to whom and why and to what end.

“Afghanistan, Iraq, Iran, they look alike to me.

“Let’s bomb them all,” said Democrat,

“and peaceful we shall be.”

A peaceful world and safer, for moms and apple pies

“I do love apple pie” said Repub as he did amble by.

“Mom’s a saint- she’d love us for the peaceful things we do,”

said Democrat. “After all I’d rather fight them there, than here near peaceful me and you.”

“Fight them there in old Iraq, it should be very pleasant.

It’ll take a week or maybe two, just like hunting pheasant.”

“Republicans and Democrats, we do it for our own protection.

And anyone who disagrees might lose the next election.”

And off they went contented at their mutually assured contention

that military force be used to make a peaceful intervention-

upon the world and its children to make a safer place

though the only place of safety may be in outer space.

A million sons and daughters went to fight the peaceful war

One out of five, or 20 percent was wounded, dead, -or more.

But peaceful day and happy had Repubs and Dems back home.

It’s time to rest from thinking, how hungry they’d become!

“What’s for lunch, Republican?”

asked Democrat so meekly.

“You tell me, oh Democrat,”

replied Republican discreetly.

“No you decide,” said Democrat, not wishing to offend.

And here we leave the peacemaking friends

for here our poem must end.

***

This was a poem for Cindy Sheehan whose son was killed in Iraq. She became an anti- war activist, vilified by Republicans. From my memory box.

“When did your life become not a mirror” ( a poem for Mrs Sheehan)

When did your life become,

not a mirror, but a refuge

a quiet place of lake and grasses

Clouds, alright, and white caps, where your leaves drift down and dapple,

not this trick of ingenuity, mirror against mirror?

The lake itself, a cloud,

and grasses,

global facts beyond dispute-

the godly imaginary moment,

life’s garden beginning

was a time before politics

and now this-

a moment of death, you’d think finality but…

When did your life become

a breath with others breathing

just the breeze touching the surface, that’s all.

Was this war’s gift,

the quiet lake and grasses, if only within you,

and if only for a moment?-

but a moment when

all wars cease.

To place a mirror face down gently on the table by the window-

that’s a revolutionary act.

jk

6-2-07

***

“A Small Matter of the Truth”