Wednesday, June 22, 2005

LIBERAL HAIKU RANTING

by Michael Shaler


Political prose
arguments grow old and worn
yet new outrage comes

The solution is
liberal haiku ranting
still gotta speak out

George W. Bush
for sure lost in 2000
Supreme Court railroad

then 9/11
first the terrorists, then us
good-bye civil rights

war half-world away
new twist pre-emptive striking
for God death to them

outsource your career
health care too expensive
hope, Bush drops in polls

meanwhile way out west
moderate steroid hero
join gropenator

they say no actors
except Arnie and Ronnie
cyborg and bonzo

Kerry wins debates
too smart, can see both sides
Jesusland and Rove

W, again
now take off velvet gloves
nuke-lar strikes for all

Condi Rice at state
lack of WMD can't stop
many thousands dead

give tests & close schools
but save Florida brain dead
no cash for students

can't afford doctors
maybe see your pharmacist
if viagra, yes

in California
Arnold's found the enemy
teachers, nurses, us

invite minutemen
free style ranger on the border
no questions, just shoot

gasoline way high
death, Iraqi oil, three bucks
drive, buy, spend, party

Deep Throat hero told
some critical even now
truth telling not vogue

deny marriage rights
we must only procreate
can't really say why

desperate housewife
indeed, here we are all this
it's a free country


A former bilingual teacher in California public schools, Michael Shaler earned an MFA at San Francisco State. Currently at work on a novel, his fiction is forthcoming in The MacGuffin, and his nonfiction is forthcoming or has appeared in Elysian Fields Quarterly and The Dusty Shelf.