Second Place Poem

McDonalds and Disneyland in Baghdad

 

 

A critical strike—

Locusts swarm Baghdad.

Hands on general watch point north;

We know the hour.

Onerous change—oppressors change.

And we who walk through the valley of the Shadow of Debt

Shall fear no Skull and Bones,

Though a president’s brain be splayed

Over Grassy Knolls.

History’s violent melody replays

With variations.

From sea to shining sea, We The People lull

On soporific sofas watching oligarchy opera.

Dan Rather serves US polite Pepsi perspectives,

Big Mac American arrogance,

News Cheetos!

We lick orange agent from our limp lips,

O tranquil frenzy!

As embedded recorders with the Pentagon

Daily News,

Laud the 3-7^th Cav “mopping up”

Post-nocturnal engagement.

Back home in the Heartland

SUV super tanks hump bumpers, want to run you

Into a ditch. Dodge Ram you!

They’ll Custer you out.

They’ll show you stars and bloody stripes!

“God, Guts, and Guns—American Justice.”

V-8 diesel and United States flag,

Mud flap silver sex dolls and “The Power of Pride.”

Inside the cool cab Limbaugh wipes the Greasy Grass from his chinny chin.

He hardens,

And repeatedly violates Hillary.

God bless our Disney World dynasty!

We sow seedy embryos and reap

Sanitary solace in Fantasyland.

When Minnie minds

The Superstore,

Watergate McBurglars and Enronald McDonalds loot tills

Prevaricate with Goofy excuses,

Blame matronly Mickey Mouse Marthas.

O Dumbo Democracy!

Our Pinocchio president can barely reach

The end of his nose to scratch it.

“Rule by the People”

With money and power?

Plutocracy! In thin disguise.

Who dispatch fighting forces to dominate the globe as burning oil wells rain

Petroleum drops on dead jarheads in deserts;

The dumb grunts die

To advance

Elitist empire.

And We, The Petty Perfect People back on Main Street,

Huff and cower before TV altars

Eating Freedom Fries,

Supersized.

Waving Wal-Mart flags, we cheer the new Grand Opening:

McDonalds and Disneyland in Baghdad.

 

©2014 Shawn Hamilton

About the Author Shawn Hamilton

Hamilton's primary vocation is teaching, but he has also served as a capitol reporter in Sacramento for Pacifica Radio and has written for the Sacramento Bee and other local publications. He is dedicated to the development of Buddhist principles in the West.