The Culmination of Our Discontent

Yesterday's Coronation, I mean Inauguration, was very "entertaining." The prayers alone were worthy of Oscar Nominations. But the poem, written and read by Yale professor Elizabeth Alexander, "Praise Song for the Day," was almost more liberal, literary clap-trap than I could keep down. The "love that casts a widening pool of light" apparently fell on the capital yesterday while crowds gathered and jostled to get a better look at the incoming president who would bring the change they desired: free school, free housing, free food, free love. Meanwhile, across the country, plain fluorescent bulbs lit the offices and businesses of regular people striving to make a living the old fashioned way, hard work and perseverance.

In honor of the new regime and just to let you all know that I too am literary, I have written a poem, not unlike Ms. Alexander's in that it strives to really capture this historical moment with poignancy and clarity.

Mud, sand, rock, grass

Earth’s resources up in gas

Obama’s plan to save us all

The girl eating pancakes

The boy with the ball

Man, woman, child, cat

Soupy Sales with a funny hat

Birds flap, beavers gnaw

The rainforest stands sadly

In the glacier thaw

Happiness, love, pickled pig feet

Prejudice is time consuming

And hard to beat

Winter, spring, summer, fall

Moonbeams blind the eyes of all

Hope has come

Change supreme

When democrats reign like Judge Roy Bean