Right Before Christmas
The Tenor of the Times in VerseÂ
by Pat LaMarcheÂ
‘Twas right before Christmas and all through the house The Fiscal Cliff proved Congress an unfaithful spouse The elections were but a few weeks gone by Leaving lame duck politicians unwilling to try Â
In a nation where children sleep without beds
And political hacks argue the sex of who weds
Stories of straight generals betraying their wives
Captures more front pages then these children’s lives.
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Meanwhile in Pakistan amidst drones’ late night clatter
One lone college kid tweets the facts that do matter
He noted the incidence of each deadly strike
Showing the world what true terrorists are like.
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The military that dwarfs all other world powers
Will re-strike the same place in less than an hour
These “double tap” plans have only one goal
Killing first responders: expanding death tolls.
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Some Afghan troops have become our new foes
As anti-U.S. sentiment continues to grow
Australia and France withdraw from the fight
Our redeployed troops now doubt that they’re right.
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And the military can lock up anybody they choose.
Gitmo was torturing and civil rights we did lose.
While NDAA once called for your permanent detention
Other liberties remain lost, too numerous to mention.
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Elected officials don’t listen to polls
Huge corporations have purchased their souls
No matter the lawsuits constituents file
“Citizens United” trumps all the trials.
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Now, Roberts! now, Scalia! now, Thomas you vixen.
To Stevens! to Ginsberg! you all should’ve listened.
You sold the elections. Â You whored the republic.
Now reps only listen to dollars and rhetoric.
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Through 2012 the election grew scary
Republicans put up a slate oh so dreary
“Eliminate minimum wage!” cried the only girl in the race.
Though women earn those wages nearly every work place.
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Religious groups choose where breast cancer grows
Because they restrict where their grant money flows
Then research is halted because birth control
Makes clerics irate about deleted souls.
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Feminists push back after Congress debates
With only male experts the time girls should wait
To sleep with a partner or who pays for the pills
That prevent pregnancies and cure other ills.
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Herman Cain, Newt Gingrich, John Edwards as well
Were ruined by sex stories others did tell
And though they were thwarted and lost their elections
No committee was ordered to govern erections.
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Not surpising to any who look back at the year
Obama has won relaxing many folks fears.
Except a million children will still go to bed
Not knowing which meal they’ll likely get fed.
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But Christmas is here so let’s spread some good will;
We don’t have to think of people we kill
Like folks without healthcare or “enemies” in our sights.
Happy Christmas to All, ’cause we’re so sure we’re right.
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Pat LaMarche is the Vice President of Community Affairs at Safe Harbour, Inc. In 2004, she was the U.S. Vice Presidential nominee for the Green Party. During the campaign, she traveled the nation living in homeless shelters and on the streets; the book she wrote about those experiences is Left Out in America: The State of Homelessness in the United States (Upala Press, 2006). LaMarche writes a regular political column for The Bangor Daily News and contributes to the Huffington Post; hosts The Pulse Morning Show that broadcasts from Maine; and is a Contributing Author for New Clear Vision.
