Titanic Ice Cubes
(From The Triumph of Strife: an homage to Dante Alighieri and Percy Shelley)

The warming of the globe has now let slip
The icebergs floating like gigantic glass
Unmarked by those who steer the sinking ship

Into a scarcely hidden sunken mass
And then proceed to rearrange the chairs
Upon the sloping decks while moments pass

Unprofitably wasted splitting hairs
As to the nature of the life to come
When someone else will manage state affairs

With something like professional aplomb
Instead of like the Keystone Cops we’ve got
Who make a fortune out of acting dumb

Upon our country’s name a bumbling blot:
This reign of rubes too raw to rue their rot.

Michael Murry, "The Misfortune Teller," Copyright © 2006-2010