They stride in Washington's corridors of power,
shit-eating grins on their well-fed faces,
irresponsible thugs wearing dark suits and conservative ties.
They strive to deprive the poor and the helpless of
food and health, of dignity and hope.
Jesus would have chased them out of the temple,
Moses would have smashed tablets over their heads,
God would have told them that He does not
help those who already help themselves.
The trio of love, mercy and compassion
has abandoned us to mean-spirited
bookkeepers and power-hungry Caesars,
rulers of the market and governors of nations,
CEOs of selfishness preached in our
business schools and bibles of management.
These new priests of the global religion
cut the heart out of what was best in us.
We stood by and eagerly scooped up
the crumbs that fell off their table.
And now we are forced to swallow the dessert.
George Salamon taught German literature and culture at several East Coast colleges, was a reporter for the St. Louis Business Journal and senior editor of Defense Systems Review. He has contributed to The Washington Post, The American Conservative, New Verse News and writes regularly for the Gateway Journalism Review. He currently lives in St. Louis, MO.