Which One Are You?
There are two kinds of citizen—defeatist and elitist:
Which one are you? (I think you know.) There will not be a pre-test.
It matters what you say and do and how you cast your vote--
The choice is yours to intervene or not as the garrote
Upon domestic freedom tightens—do you passively
Accept what party bosses have to offer or like me
Make every effort to engage despite extensive odds
Against one—giving in to rage not ever nor to frauds.
The situation critical but worsens by the hour,
Yet you forget God gave free will so that it might empower,
And what is all the use in life if no one does a thing
To stop the evil round him? We had best, before we fling
Ourselves to foreign wars that cannot augur any good
Address first problems here at home and in the neighborhood.
The last best hope of mankind was great Lincoln’s epithet,
But I see squalid chaos so we haven’t got there yet--
Already all our neighbors in the world have looked away
To get their inspiration while but hollow words we say,
Paying our homage to ideals we fail to exercise,
Promoting but as icons our forefathers—not as wise.
It’s good to be elitist when it comes to cultivation
Of culture, education, rather than mass deprivation
In ignorance, illiteracy—yet, watching my TV
I’d like a government that’s more articulate than me,
As educated, careful and precise not loosy goose
But thoughtful in its methods, to the point and not abstruse.
A good man I would see elected, but—lest heaven damn us--
A profligate or rogue is better than an ignoramus.