WE NEED HEROES--Live Ones (c)

Arts For Peace ~ Peace Poem for the Month

We need heroes, George W.
Live heroes, not sleazy money grubbers
who work worker bees to death,
send young off to die in deserts
for manufactured wars profiting
America’s royalty, who dole out
false promises of a protected tomorrow,
and laugh all the way to the bank.

We need heroes, George W.
not lies spun of cotton candy,
sweet, sticky pink fluff,
empty calories,
sold for high prices
by carnival government
run by freaks in sideshow offices
with no soul or purpose for living
except to gouge the poor for more.

We need heroes, George W.
not a leader following oily merchants,
suited up, partying clowns
juggling colorful balls—pollution,
health care, homelessness, decent wages—
with glitzy, sleight of hand card show,
passing out hot air balloons
to youngsters facing annihilation,
as you, clowns,
pack yourself in circus car,
ride ‘round under protective tent, untouchable,
tooting horns, flashing lights,
going home, wallets full,
sleeping well at night.

We need heroes, George W.
not a ringmaster in fancy tuxedo
with top hat and satin lapels,
pretending all is well,
as our world-esteem is shot to hell,
out of a canon of religiosity,
landing in Muslim countries
without a net,
greeted by roadside bombs and
smashed pies in faces,
not funny at all.

We need heroes, George W.
not one who lost his chance,
chose instead to spin empty plates
in center-ring, diversion for cronies
bankrupting USA with war,
with no way out,
burying future in mounds of debt,
as flags unfurl, graveside,
red, white, blue,
we bury our fatally wounded,
while Katrina’s black flies buzz, still,
‘round New Orleans and Mississippi’s
lives lost, unclaimed and unfound.

We need heroes, George W. . . .