Tuesday, July 20, 2010

DEFEAT

by George Held

We are in this to win. 
--General David Petraeus, on assuming command in Afghanistan

The general says we will win in Afghanistan
The president says we will plug the leak in the Gulf
The governor says we will close the budget deficit

Senators say we must reduce Social Security
Al Gore says we must reduce CO2 emissions
And switch to renewable energy

And in every case we know in our hearts
That we are headed for defeat—in the war,
In the Gulf, in the economy, in the environment . . .


George Held has collected many of his New Verse News poems in The News Today.
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