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Monday, April 23, 2007

THE PEOPLE'S CHOICE

by Alan Catlin


given the choice
of voting for
George Bush II

and
Satan

I'd have to
chose
Satan

At least
you'd be able
to swing a deal

for something
in this lifetime
from Satan

while with Bush
it would all be empty promises
and lies, lies and more damned lies

sort of like
selling your soul
to a gated community

of WALMARTs
on a time share
plan with no

warranties
no money back
guarantees

and a variable
rate mortgage
all the while knowing

no matter who you
had voted for you
were screwed for all time


Alan Catlin's latest chapbook is a long poem, "Thou Shalt Not Kill", an updating of Rexroth's seminal poem of the same name. Whereas Rexroth riffs on the abuses of the Eisenhower adminstration, the update observes abuses of power in the current administration with particular attention to the cynical, criminal behavior towards the Katrina hurricane victims. One year later, the victims are not forgotten. No matter how many candles the Bushes light, the appalling lack of humanity and the blatant hypocrisy of the folks in charge is as apparent as the disenfranchised, the homeless, and the poverty stricken people of the Gulf states.