The Moderate
For those of you who are new to Birdblog, I occasionally honor the old American tradition of writing political poetry. Before music became easily accessible through records and radio, political propoganda was frequently in the form of poetry; you especially see this during the Revolutionary period. The Colonists frequently wrote poetry to ridicule the British-and their own loyalists. It was the safest way to mock those who would hang you for your troubles.
I have tried to maintain the tradition here with my own humble scribblings.
The Moderate (An Ode To The Rinos)
In the course of world events
it is wise to sit upon the fence
and divorce yourself from those right-wing gents
a moderate man I`ll be!
I`ve a mighty will for what`s weak and mild
and the record`s nil which I have compiled
for it makes me ill when I am reviled
a moderate man is me!
I command my views which I can`t define
though I`m oft confused still I stand resigned
and I rarely choose of my own design
a moderate man you see!
I will back each horse to maintain suspense
and revise my course based on inducements
while my thoughts defy any common sense
a moderate man, indeed!
I dedicate this to Lincoln Chafee, Olympia Snow, Jim Jeffords, John McCain, Anthony Kennedy, et. al.
(I hope we don`t have to dedicate this to John Roberts!)
I have tried to maintain the tradition here with my own humble scribblings.
The Moderate (An Ode To The Rinos)
In the course of world events
it is wise to sit upon the fence
and divorce yourself from those right-wing gents
a moderate man I`ll be!
I`ve a mighty will for what`s weak and mild
and the record`s nil which I have compiled
for it makes me ill when I am reviled
a moderate man is me!
I command my views which I can`t define
though I`m oft confused still I stand resigned
and I rarely choose of my own design
a moderate man you see!
I will back each horse to maintain suspense
and revise my course based on inducements
while my thoughts defy any common sense
a moderate man, indeed!
I dedicate this to Lincoln Chafee, Olympia Snow, Jim Jeffords, John McCain, Anthony Kennedy, et. al.
(I hope we don`t have to dedicate this to John Roberts!)
posted by Timothy Birdnow | 5:23 AM
4 Comments:
Thanks...I really enjoyed this.
A good piece of poetic, political satire. Great meter and rhythm.
Too many are on the fence today, aren't they?
And Bonnie Blue is absolutely correct about our "Star Spangled Banner."
Love the poem, Tim - you follow in the great tradition also of Ukrainian and Russian political satirists. The poet was traditionally the most beloved and feared figure in those countries, even into the Soviet times. I just read the prison memoir of Irina Ratushinskaya, a Russian/Polish citizen of Ukraine who served 5 years in a political work camp in the 80's because her poetry was so popular it was set to music and disseminated widely from hand to hand. Her crime was "Anti-Soviet Propaganda". The Ukrainian poet Mykola Rudenko was also sentenced to many years in a Siberian labor camp during those years -- and his wife, for the crime of disseminating his poetry, served a long term in the same prison camp with Irina and many other women dissidents and prisoners of conscience.
I didn't know that poetry was a popular means of political protest in Colonial and Revolutionary times -- I always learn something new from you and BBF.
Well done, Tim!
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