I wonder what happened to all those people 

who rallied behind the status quo 

and filled the streets and royal hall 

to cheer the fall of the chosen one bent, 

beaten and nailed to a cross.

I wonder what happened after the cheers, 

chest bumps and a million high fives.  

Did they just go home, back to their life’s, 

jobs and loving families in anticipation 

of the next Roman crucifixion 

or did they put their sad face on like we do 

after a crushing tackle and one can’t get up. 

Then after the commercial break he’s gone,

we smile again and thirst for another. 

I heard on the news 

the people 

are finally waking up 

but that’s no consolation 

for those 

who were never asleep.

So it just sounds like 

more propaganda to me

and I half expect the world 

to end in a couple weeks 

and I can’t decide 

to turn my cable box in 

and save a few bucks 

or just leave it hooked up 

cuz I heard somewhere 

the end of the world 

will certainly be televised 

and I wouldn’t want to miss that.

In youth abides 

no point of reference 

so how can it know 

what’s been left behind 

and how can it miss 

waves of grain, fruited plain, 

or good from sea to sea 

when all it can see 

is what happens right now, 

forever the same  

since the day it was born

twenty or so,  years ago

in which half was a daze 

and the other half in class 

and knowing the past 

is just something memorized.

After the Reboot 

The holiday season will be renamed the 

shopping season 

and the only reason we celebrate 

will be for the sales 

and Jesus and the Pilgrims can take a hike 

or be archived or whatever,,,

* * *

The world I knew no longer exists
and the things I was taught to ignore or avoid
are now mainstream
and the faith it took to come up right
has disappeared into the night

and it’s almost as if my parents
were wrong about everything.

Doggerel Days

When they chose up teams 

on the field of life, reluctantly 

they might choose him last 

but mostly not at all.  

So alone he stood 

through out his whole life 

not knowing to feel 

embarrassed or relieved,

but lighter for sure  

and somewhat grateful to be 

the one 

they will never know.

* * *

Q.  What happens when a bad idea
or a misconception
becomes the law of the land,
accepted wholeheartedly as right
when it might not be right at all?

A.  Civilization happens.

* * *

There is no greater ideal,
just a winning appeal,

and if Hitler had won
we’d all be praising him
for pushing the Jews
out of sight

but since he didn’t
we support the Jews
for pushing the Arabs
out of sight

with winning appeal
and if they resist
they’ll call them terrorists
and blow them all to hell.

So you see,
there is no greater ideal,
just a winning appeal.

Even if good wins 

it’s astounding to know 

it was a close race

which means 

all the losers
are still out there 

lurking

and pretending to be
good too.

* * *

My neighbor has a habit of saying,
‘nobody in their right mind would vote for him’
and I’m always compelled to remind him,
nobody’s been in their right mind
for a long, long time.

* * *

Even though I’m quite aware
of the growing attraction for non-human devices
I still voted for the human.

The tin man whispers 

into Jerry’s ear 

‘they are going to name me 

Liar of the Year’ 

and Jerry whispers back 

‘don’t fret and realize 

my people hate the truth 

but love the best lies’ 

and together they both nod 

and together they grin 

for in a world this dumbed down  

even a tin man can win.

I think when they look back on the 21st century they will call it
 the beginning of the 2nd dark age.