I can’t please all of the people
All of the time. Many don’t
Like my position against war.
Many don’t like my notions
Of taxing the rich or capital
Traders. Many don’t like my
Advocacy of the Palestinian
Causes. Some don’t like my
Being a professed Christian.
Some, don’t like the way I
Look, the way I talk, and
The way I use my hands.
One has cursed me for my
Choice of TV commentator.
Another thinks I’m a fool
For defending Ralph Nader’s
Presidential run. Lots of
People are tired of hearing
Me defend Catholics while
Advocating for freedom to
Abort. When it comes to
Disagreeing with me to
Most I would say, “Get in
Line. “ But since I respect
A lot of those who disagree
With me, I can only comment
That I regret we have come to
An impasse and will have to
Agree to disagree (one day
I’ll write about how much I
Dislike that position). But if
You and I are on opposite
Sides of an issue I may have
To chalk it up to different
Experiences in life—not
Wrong experiences—just
Different. For me politicians
Have to be both realistic and
Tough. Not so tough that they
Can’t feel hurt. I’m sure Mr.
Obama, despite his so often
Reputed cool, suffers greatly
From the hatred slung at him
Daily whether it is as unmasked
As gorilla-likenesses passed
Around work places or the
Genteel disdain heaped upon
Him by Mitch McConnell
Over the years—his dictum
To obstruct the president in
Every way at every turn.
Whether we are talking about
Daumier or Jon Stewart
Politicians will be mocked
And maligned, as with any
Public figure or celebrity. By
Circulating the unflattering
Image of Hillary Clinton I
Am hoping to alert the electorate
Not to the fact that we all can
Be caught by photographers
With our fingers up our nose
Or scratching our behinds so
Much as caring about it—
Image consciousness—
Her demanding as few
People see it as possible, is a
Distinct chink in her posture of
Unflappability—nowhere
Near as bad as her pandering
Speech to AIPAC, but consistent
With Clintonian presumption.
c. J.S.Manista, 2016
No comments:
Post a Comment