Feed the Beast

Each two years on clockwork schedule
Throw red meat upon the floor
Generate some new resentments
Of the black and brown and poor

Squeeze the middle class and watch them
Turn upon the poor ones first
Do the old divide and conquer
Then stand back and watch the worst

Need some redneck votes? Then do this:
Rub some salt into the sore
Sic the Yahoos on the Houyhnhnm
Can't have horses knowing more

Beat the drowning dog to teach him
Cast before the swine some pearls
Burning flags and schoolroom praying;
Queers and frightened pregnant girls

Starve the poor and feed the wealthy
Robin Hood just named his yacht
Hotel heiress party pussy
Tax-cut subsidies has got

We're at war, so do some shopping
Buy a ticket; take a trip
Pump some gas into your Hummer
Charge it all and leave a tip

Need a dumbed-down demographic?
Slap some sloping forehead brow
Uncle Jim-Bob's homeschool dropouts
Don't need learnin' anyhow

Fan the flames of fascist fancy:
Fanboy Batman's GI grunt
Symbol Soldier serves the selfish
Warfare welfare's what they want

Just crank up some fear and loathing
"Immigrants" will do this time
Never mind that most speak English
Better than the White House mime

Send some Guardsmen to the border
While their stuff waits in Iraq
Exile more to Baghdad's slaughter
Stop-lossed so they can't come back

Though he makes no sense on purpose
Still his mouth keeps mumbling mush
Says he "doubts" this global warming
While the glaciers melt to slush

Polar bears and penguins dying
Fish and birds have disappeared
Still they give us through their lying
Each bad thing we've ever feared

Come November, though, remember
What your precinct preacher taught
Vote Repuglican, and often,
Just remember: Don't get caught

Michael Murry, "The Misfortune Teller," Copyright © 2006