Exemplary Attributes: Shakespeare and Yeats

The Second Term Coming
“Things fall apart; the centre cannot hold.”
— from the Second Coming, a poem by W.B. Yeats (1865-1939)
 
Tweeting constant Trumpian twaddle and twit
treaties are broken apart, liberal laws suppressed
democratic and independent democracy delayed
sheer ignominy is loosed around the world
a red tide red hat base shouts insults everywhere
innocent children are caged, separated indefinitely
House bills blocked from coming up for Senate vote
while the worst executive orders are issued.
 
Surely some replacement must be at hand
surely the Second term he loses command
a Second Term? hardly are those words out
when ‘non compos mentis’ comes to mind
somewhere along the US Mexican border
the bodies of a father and daughter
lie face down in a rio not so grande
flowing downstream, dead in the water
like fish in our polluted lakes and rivers
attempts continue to slow medical insurance
for all and cut millions from education
across the country hate crimes increase
the crude campaigner’s comeuppance will come
slithering towards Mar a Lago for a second round.
 
Second Term Presidential Prophesy
 “And future ages groan for this foul act.”
— from the play Richard II, Act IV, by William Shakespeare
 
If you reelect him again let me prophecy
many American farmers will lose their land
future farmers will view this calamity
retired farmers will sigh and understand.
Democracy shrinks from dalliance with dictators
the US Constitution twisted rubbed sore and raw
a belligerent base belittles sympathetic spectators
more disorganized policies than you ever saw.
Politically planned travesties of justice from the AG
more children found dead near cages at the border
a semi permanent plague descends on democracy
assault rifles continue their reign over law and order.
You voted for democracy’s death among free women and men
democracy once dead elects a lying leader as ruler once again.
 
Shall I Retweet You on a Bummer Day
“And often is his gold complexion dimmed.”
—an excerpt from Sonnet 18 by William Shakespeare
 
Shall I retweet you on a bigly bummer day
when I have angry tantrums and am out of sorts
when my hairdresser has run out of hair spray
and my golf courses send me loss reports
Special Counsel Mueller found obstruction law breaking
in four pages Barr made the report substantially dimmed
it seems like Greenland might be there for the taking
lets stop forest fires by having ‘the floor well trimmed’
And my eternal blingdom kingdom will not fade
nor will I ever lose possession of my tax returns
nor of ‘fake news’ lying media polls am I afraid
and I’m not concerned if blue California burns
So long as Moscow Mitch gets aluminum rubles for free
so long live my pal Putin who gives loans and more to me.

LITERARY NOOK
Joey Connolly
Special to the Saipan Tribune

Joey “Pepe Batbon” Connolly is a retired teacher and has been named a poet laureate of Tinian. He has taught English in CNMI public schools for the past 30 years. He has also taught in Alaska, New Orleans, and Las Vegas.