by Nancy Caronia
Maybe George Bush will go missing
Become one of the disappeared
Bruce—as in Springsteen
The real Boss of Bosses—a good ol’ boy from Jersey—will storm
The Oval Office; take over the White House
Cure our ills with good old-fashioned rock and roll.
Maybe the leaders of other countries will send delegates
There’ll be lots of hand holding and shouting
And singing—War, What is it good for?
Clarence will pump his sax in the air
Standing at the right hand of Bruce
And Little Steven will make eyes
At each other—the real romance
Of the E Street Band.
Maybe the House and the Senate will resemble
Something more than a bunch of old white guys in power ties
There’ll be hugging and kissing
Happiness (and the elimination of alternate side of the street parking) will reign
Or at least exhaustion will set in
From the nightly four-hour
State of the Union Addresses.
No one will want to hurt
Anyone.
Maybe the people will be huddled together—
Arms encircled
Baby kisses on a forehead
Hands clasped
Tongues too tired to lie.
Nancy Caronia’s work has previously appeared in Coloring Book (2003 Rattlecat Press), Don't Tell Mama! The Penguin Book of Italian American Writing, and Milk of Almonds: Italian American Women Writers on Food and Culture (Feminist Press). She writes the monthly Lesson Plans column for Government Video magazine.