№ 862: Meditations (mark of a realist)

RECKONING (May 21) —

Marcus Aurelius

Jesus was a Socialist.

Giving out free bread and wine?

And his “business” (Jay's Loaves and Fishes?)

never collecting a nickel or dime?

Had Jesus been an entrepreneur,

charging full freight for his services,

then, perhaps, the Sanhedrin and Romans

would not have gotten nearly as nervous.

Had Jesus been a go-along guy,

rendered Cæsar — completely! — his due,

then, perhaps, Pilate would have ignored

the unfortunate fact of his being . . . a Jew.

His coreligionists could have found common ground,

had he, instead of clearing the temple,

spread a peck of shekels around.

(And been a little less temperamental.)

Had Jesus struck a truce with Zeus — 

that guy the Romans called Jupiter — 

would history have taken a different course,

maybe have been a little less stupider?

Nah. Who am I kidding? What are the odds

that there could ever be peaceable gods?

Gods we created in our own image, 

who therefore exculpate our violentest scrimmages

with winners and losers, with vics and perps.

Exacerbate everything. Give 'em the works!

Slings! Arrows! Outrageous fortune!

Ain't no such a thing as out-of-proportion.

We are who we are. We get what we get.

I find it astounding we ain't over. (Yet.)

№ 641: Twit Tweets

Trump voters cringe and shrug at tweets while Democrats rage

HELENVILLE, Wis. (AP) — Bill Brasch greeted President Donald Trump’s latest tweet controversy with a shrug.

He doesn’t believe Trump was being racist for telling four congresswomen, all women of color, to “go back” to the countries they came from.

THE SWAMP (July 17)

Donald Trump tweeted garbage today.

Nothing which bears repeating.
And since his followers' attention is fleeting,
there's no point refuting, correcting, disputing
his mistakes, outright lies and deception.
I mean, after all, it is not as if
his Twitter wallowers would pay attention,
let alone face a fact that might distract
from the pre-ill-conceived notion that
this sad obese man has some sort of plan
to ensure, at a stroke, that white Christian folk
retain and remain the majority.
It is understood, he would if he could,
but he does not have THAT authority.

Yet.
I would not bet against his trying to do it.

I hear you say, “Congress stands in his way.”
To which he would say, “Screw it!”
and direct Stephen Miller, “Steve, at your leisure,
think up some way to turn me into Cæsar.”

№ 631: Back To The Fourth (a tweet from tomorrow)

THE SWAMP (July 3)

I was BETRAYED!

That was NOT my parade.

That tiny, puny, little charade.

Not enough tanks. Not enough planes.

Where were the immigrant children in chains?

Not enough ANYTHING! A damned pooper scooper.

Where was Robert E. Lee? Where were my storm troopers

goose stepping while I smiled beatifically?

It had no style. It failed horrifically.
It was intended to celebrate ME! So I could gloat over Putin and Xi.

Now how can I put down my BFF, Kim?

Where were the missiles with which I threaten him?

To you Pentagon Dems behind this SAD plot:

when I find who you are, I'll have you shot.

This is NOT what I asked for. . .this strolling at leisure.

I called for a Triumph. Like Julius Cæsar!

NOT some dumb, casual come-as-you-are.

I wanted a spectacle fit for a Tsar.

A parade — must I say it explicitly? —

a parade reflecting the glory of ME.

A parade of parades breaking the mold

with my bew-t-ful Soldiers* plated in gold.
———————————————
*and Sailors, Airmen, Marines — SPACE FORCE CADETS! 
Plus a battalion or two of World War II vets.
Maybe Coast Guarders. Do they they go on land? 
After Hurricane Whatsis, I 💗 their brand.

№ 594: Are We Rome Yet? (quelques pensées)

NEW ROME, May 13

In this slo-mo
unraveling story,
an oaf Cæsar bumbles,
proclaiming glory
and some of us wish
for Brutus and Cassius.

And others ask,
“Who is Antony?
Who is Augustus?
Who has the
talent or temperament
to bring us justice,
dispense the pretender
and be God-Emperor?”

Some may say,
“Ayn Rand knew it.
The Constitution,
with a revision
(or two) to renew it,
could undo flaws
devised over time
by Dem Party demagogues.”

Hark.
On your mark.
Get set.
A random spark
could ignite the dark.

Sit back.
Relax.
“We have nothing to fear. . .”
Do not send in the clowns.
They're already here.

№ 589: Pomp And Circumvents (Pompeian dreams of glory)

THE SWAMP, May 6

Great Cæsar had Pompey the Great,
Grate Trump has me, Michael Pompeo.

Pompey, of course,
in due course
lost his head.

Whereas I, Michael Pompeo,
may yet take to bed,
calling in sick
then retire quick
to some cozy nook
to write a book
that causes Trump
to tweet harumphs
saying I'm “lying,
not on the level.”
(That would be like
praise from the Devil.)
Surely his tweets —
off of the rails —
would be a boost
for my book sales.
Maybe a groovy
Hollywood movie
where I play me
and they TWICE pay me?

I do not wanna be
just another dumb chump
who loses his soul
working for Trump.