News, Poems

what am i saying

37 Comments
Header image of epic poet Homer is from Homer and His Guide, by William-Adolphe Bouguereau (1825–1905), portraying Homer on Mount Ida, beset by dogs and guided by the goat herder Glaucus.   This image is in the public domain

Today’s post comes from tim

at concerts by daughters singing songs of the season
wondering if Muslims and Jews see the reason
that Donald is finding what Adolph would find
that solutions are easy if you disregard humankind

more dead in 5 weeks caused by hand guns it’s true
than have died due to terrorist since 2002
the NRA lobby owns the congressmen souls
with contributions gleaned from assault weapon holes

this ho ho ho season needs a bit of rethinking
while claiming peace love and unity what are they drinking
the world is messed up circa 2015
we’re right and were left but theres no in between

Americas crying out for a solution that works
get the others to think like me the stupid old jerks
it may be the most interesting of election
and cause centrist minds to rely on reflection

even if Hillary isn’t your lead pipe cinch
if the choice is tea party she’ll do in a pinch
Donald  Ben Ted and Marco have the pundits all pacing
troubled times we live in and the problems were facing

when news is for revenue instead of for knowledge
presented for grade school instead of for college
capitalizing on fears of the ignorant masses
looking through blinders not  rose colored glasses

the doors swinging open for change to occur
fixing problems by voting for him or for her
it’s never been easy being a tightrope dancer
can we put aside bickering and work toward an answer

the news is the thing that repeats in our ear
it’s driven by rating  points soars when it’s fear
how about working to find answers to whys
instead of the posture that points fingers and cries

I hope we find closure with the best woman or best man
poor republican candidates becoming inside out yes men
or Donald who seems to enjoy shock value tactics
making political gymnasts do poll response back flips

the front page of world papers as the USA pigs
haven’t been seen since w left after he finished his gig
Donald Ben Ted or Mario all are so lame
Hillary should take it with match set and game

republicans stop while for whom the bell tolls
when decision popularity is measured in polls
the worlds a mess and Fox News a main reason
we all hate it again when its campaign news season

instead of 8 minutes before weather and sports
news has become cancer prime time with warts
the world is connected with social media dude
so get used to the idea of politically rude

Obama found out and Hillary will too
that an agendaed opponent hopes that you get screwed
they’ll do what they can to make straight lines go curving
then site your inaction as why they’re deserving

I think Donald Ben Ted and Marco will rewrite the Way
Americans view the right to vote on this day
it’s no longer a privilege that makes you feel proud
it makes you resort to a whimpering sound

I hope the world heals, be a shame if it doesn’t
the possible wonderful mess that just simply wasn’t
here’s hoping that holiday cheer will promote
the view that a pleasant feeling will emote

if only we try to let concern stay on track
and stop trying to heap ugly stuff on your back
if hatred and fear are the topics we lead with
it’s sadness and division we can be guaranteed with

look to the people who want to make good
on the promise to their kids hat life will be good
the golden rule spoken is all that need to be said
peace on earth to your fellow man now go to bed

37 thoughts on “what am i saying”

    1. This is great, Tim. My favorite line: “The news is the thing that repeats in our ear; it’s driven by rating points that soar when it’s fear”

      Michael Johnson, an old time folk singer, wrote a song that’s perfect for today’s poem. I’ve no idea if the link will work or how to get the actual video posted here, but if it does open for you, just click on the read box to hear it.

      http://www.lyrics.net/lyric/29443685

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  2. We live in a dark and destructive world as you say in your poem, tim. A climate scientist who was critical of the agreements on climate reached in Paris was asked if he was hopeful about our future. He said he was not hopeful and then said that even if we are not hopeful we should not give up trying to solve our problems. I agree with him.

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    1. I have great hope now that two hundred countries have hammered out a climate change accord for the first time in world history. It’s an amazing accomplishment, led by our president, and will likely be a more prominent piece of his legacy that Obamacare.

      Just think about it – 200 countries acknowledged the depth and breadth of this threat to our planet and were able to agree, then strategize ways to slow the destruction down. They’re meeting every five years to be held accountable for their country’s progress. This thrills me!!!

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      1. The plans offered by the countries at the climate conference was only good enough to keep the rise in temperature to about 3 C which would be far too high. James Hansen, one of the top leading climate scientists, said that the conference was all talk and the agreement that was needed to greatly reduce the use of fossil fuels was not made by Obama and the leaders of the other countries. The agreements made at the conference went farther than those made at past conferences. Never-the-less, we have a long way to go and a lot of work to do to save the planet from great damage due to climate warming and very little time to do this work.

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  3. I read an interesting essay recently that put forth the idea that the mess we are in now started with trickle down economics in the 1980s and accelerated as the two parties shifted away from the center in their race to “fix” the economy and the fallout from Reaganomics. Being called a centrist now is one of the worst insults you could throw at a candidate. More’s the pity. It becomes so easy to lean farther and farther towards your preferred right or left, and in the process we lose sight of where that center is and where we might find common cause.

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    1. Certainly, the author is correct about the calcification of the two parties, but I disagree with that essay at one point–there was a huge national shift to the right, not away from the center in both directions, and there’s not been a genuine American Left since the 1970s (Occupy was a good try, but couldn’t sustain itself or its focus, and I fear BLM is headed for the same fate). In my youth Obama would have been described as “right-of-center”, at best “middle-of-the-road”. Every time I hear him called a socialist I grind my teeth, because the real socialists and other leftist radicals have been sidelined and silenced, if not erased altogether.

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      1. I think you are right, Crow Girl. The talk we are always hearing about who is on the right and who is on the left is without any meaning since, as you say, the ones they call leftists are very far from the left. The ones said to be on the right are not true right wing people, they are extremists. The people who are trying to change things for the better that might have been called leftist in the past are still out there. In fact, I think the number of people trying to do good is increasing even though the actions they take are often ignored by the mainstream press.

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      2. I don’t disagre with you – the shift has almost certainly been harder to the right than to the left. Where I begin to worry, though, is when I start playing the “could they get elected now game.” Certainly Wellstone would be a shoo-in (at least I hope – gosh I miss his voice in our discourse). My former congressman Martin Sabo – a pragmatic liberal, definitely left of center but willing to compromise to get things done – probably not; he would be accused of acquiescing to the right too often. I think the right plays that sort of hardball way more than the left – I guess I wonder more if it’s a winnable tactic for anyone, or if those of us at home lose regardless.

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        1. It will take people rising up to put pressure on elected officials to do the right thing to turn our country in a better direction. It is good to get the best candidates possible into office. However, we can’t count on them to do the right thing if we don’t stand up for the changes that are needed which even the best officials do not always support.

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    2. My belief is that the GOP has veered so far right that a centrist democrat is viewed by them as “radical left”. The Western Illinois University has correctly predicted who’d be president for half a century now. 100% of their “picks” have become president. Last week, they issued their prediction for 2016: Bernie Sanders

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  5. the right has the luxuarty of the money guys sucking in the camo anti stuff folks. issues driven to invoke fear and get backing have backfired and the teaparty whack jobs are steering the ship. poor jeb a talking head is not the trick anymore like it was for bush 1 and bush 2 now you need to be butt kissing candadate. i think the best thing for democracy is for the whack leads to be reazlized. money behind the sell your soul candadate will make koch bros king makers hillary sucks it up because you have to but she does it moderately. president by the polls is a hard issue to dodge. terrorism is the deal
    but taxes mexicans abortions and other issues tha tmatter littel but headline big are a shame. folks need lots of things, an idea of how to try to keep fear in fornt of us is notat the top of the list unless you are running for office.
    i saw will smith saying he would run for president in the future and i think i would be ok with the right mind steering the ship. the trained politicians ahve benn taught poision as a preise and cancer as a culture. let them bang on the doors wondering why they have been locked out or ignred. i am tired of their song and dance.

    wellstone was wonderful and i think a littel 70’s hippy philosophy has a place in the discussion but who? al franken? elizabeth warren? rt rybak if he ever reenters the arena would get my vote. we can only hope

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  6. “I hope if dogs ever take over the world and they choose a king, they
    don’t just go by size, because I bet there are some Chihuahuas with
    some good ideas.” Deep Thoughts by Jack Handy

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  7. Although my first political act was to wave an I Like Ike pennant when the general visited my home town, my political consciousness was formed when I saw how much Joseph McCarthy terrified my parents. I grew up in an age blighted by fear and paranoia. As a young man I experienced a surge of belief in reform. Then I saw that sweet surge wiped out by the Vietnamese war and the cynicism that followed from Richard Nixon’s abuse of the presidency.

    The most important pattern I see, looking back over it all, is the wild swings of the balance between hope and fear. When this nation is fearful, it is capable of doing terrible things. When it is hopeful, our nation can be humane and wise. At the moment it seems fear is in the saddle.

    Better times and better leaders will come. I am sure of that. I just hope they aren’t too late.

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  8. About a month ago, I got a call from the White House. At first, I though it was a joke. The woman on the other end of the line said; “President Obama read your letter and is mailing you a handwritten note”.

    I’d written a heart-felt letter to him in August and, believing it would never in a million years be read by anyone except maybe his letter scanning staff, had forgotten all about it. Three days later, UPS delivered it. Last week, I had it professionally framed for posterity – or at least my great great grandchildren’s legacy. As I read my letter, then gazed at his gracious note, I imagined it through his eyes. I had mine to him and his response framed together so that in the future the context of our times will be understood. The letter:

    June 25, 2015

    Dear Mr. President,

    It doesn’t matter if this is one of the ten letters you read each night. It doesn’t matter if you never read mine. I can only hope that somehow, you know what just one American feels.

    I’ve lived through several presidents before you took office electrifying the entire world. All that matters is that I put my words to print and send them your way.

    I’m 71 years old and have never witnessed such grace, dignity, patience, and civility in one person on the national stage.

    In the mid-sixties, I didn’t even know that the civil rights movement was about blacks being able to vote, but my instincts were to battle for them, so I learned and taught black history, then organized meetings between white suburbanites and inner city blacks. I naively thought that if they just met one another, the problems would be solved. And here we are, half a century later.

    I want to apologize for the ugliness of we as whites have visited upon you. The election of a black president has been a lightening rod for deep seated and covert racism. It’s been with us for over 200 years, but your appearance has unearthed it simply by the color of your skin. This makes me ashamed of our people.

    I have never respected or admired a man in history more than you and have absolutely no doubt that history will view you as one of our greatest presidents.

    Your hair has grayed under this vile hatred, but have kept you patience, dignity, and resolve to move our country forward no matter how much you’ve been vilified or how unpopular your actions have been.

    I am sorry for our racist behavior. I am sorry that I live among such people. I am sorry that you’ve born the brunt of everything intolerant in this great country.

    I will be eternally grateful for you being our president. You are a man whose elections made evident that America wasn’t ready for a black president, yet you’ve been able to move us forward in spite of this.

    His response:

    Nancy,
    Please don’t be too discouraged – this country is full of goodness, as your, as you have shown me.
    Barack Obama

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  10. Way to go, tim! I especially like:
    “when news is for revenue instead of for knowledge
    presented for grade school instead of for college”
    🙂
    I haven’t thought of anything new to add, but I’d like to thank tim for coming up with a third (!) post in a week. I will try to shoot something to Dale for tomorrow.

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  12. While the Lutheran in me cringes when i spend time around a lot of fervent evangelicals, it is important for me to remember that all the current teens who started going to the Dream Center, ( the place we were at this weekend), when they were younger kids about 7 years ago, are all still alive. About 15 of them are going to NYC in February to see the world and get a wider view to take back to the reservation.

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  13. I want to apologize for the repeat post – I’ve just learned that I already shared it on TB a while back. I should keep a file for TB “already shared” posts. I’d blame it on old age dementia, but I was tested for 8 hours last year and, thankfully, don’t have it.

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    1. Not too worry, Cb, most of us have trotted out the same story more than once on the trail. Besides, in your previous post you didn’t actually tell us what you wrote. Now we know.

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  17. I have nothing to add to the actual conversation, just coming in OT to announce I turned in the bulk of my end-of-the-year work yesterday and begin some actual “time off” starting tomorrow morning!

    Hope to get a post or two written between now and Jan 4 when I start up again. Jury duty starts Jan 11.

    No rest for the wicked.

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