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Sunday, October 21, 2007

THE BIG LOOPHOLE

OR, MATTHEW 19:24 REVISED


by George Good



George Washington was first in peace and war
and in his countrymen's hearts came before
John Adams, Thomas Jefferson, et al--
that's Latin for the names we don't recall.
A second George was middling and lukewarm--
he did a little good, perhaps more harm.
The voters spewed him out and swallowed Bill,
a sometimes sugared, sometimes bitter pill.
Now Poppy always wanted Jeb to run,
but born again from rehab rose this son--
we'll call him George III--to follow dad.
And thus we come full circle from a bad
monarch to a worse chief executive.
"Since it's more blessed to receive than give,
to help the rich get richer with this ax
I'll clear their path by cutting every tax.
The poor are always with us, so why not
reward those folks who drew the lucky lot?
If Caesar's close to you, you'll render less.
Go thou and win more money and--God bless!"
Here's Christianity with loopholes, friends.
The thing about the Bible is--it bends.
Now watch that needle's eye as it grows big
and lets pass through a camel--or a pig.

George Good has published previously in New Verse News as well as Light, The Evansville Review, Iambs & Trochees and Contemporary Rhyme.