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Tuesday, July 31, 2007

THE CONGRESSMAN IN NEVERLAND

by Diane Elayne Dees


Congressman Vitter and wife Wendy
stare down the cameras in a conference room
in a suburban hotel. To forgive, Wendy says,
is not an easy choice. But she forgave,
and, her husband says, so did God--he thinks.
He thinks his enemies are out to destroy him,
and the assault stings. Vitter understands battle:
Gay marriage, he once said, was worse than Katrina.
How gay marriage kills, destroys property,
wrecks the economy, and rips the spirit
of a city is unknown, but--God willing--
will be made known in time. It is already known
that Congressman Vitter had another Wendy--
a professional woman in a house on Canal Street.
That house is gone, and Vitter has no Wendy
House to hide in, even though, it appears,
he cannot grow up.Wendy Darling liked to fly
with the lost boys, but even she
grew tired of swordsmanship.


Diane Elayne Dees is a writer in Louisiana. Former publisher of the progressive blog, The Dees Diversion, Diane is a contributor to the Mother Jones MoJo Blog, and she publishes Women Who Serve, a blog about women's professional tennis.