Donkeys and Elephants

A Poem

Donkeys and Elephants

By Corey Ryan Forrester

Photo by Marco Oriolesi on Unsplash

I’ve seen many a marvel, from riverboat crews,

To a man selling hope in a bottle of booze.

But nothing quite baffles, bewilders, or bites,

Like folks who wear neckties and claim they know rights.

He starts with a grin and a sermon so slick,

You’d think he was Moses with hair gel and tricks.

He kisses the babies, he hugs the old maid,

He once hated gay folks..’til polling had swayed.

He talks about freedom, he talks about sin,

Then votes for a law that lets lobbyists in.

He’s for the poor farmer, the working-class mom

As long as they don’t take his place at the prom.

Now the Left says the Right is a heartless old mule,

And the Right says the Left wants to ban God from school.

They bicker and posture, they spit and they squawk,

While their donors line up,like pigs at the trough.

Each claims the Republic will surely collapse,

If the other gains power or cuts their own tax

But come inauguration, it’s handshakes and grins

Cause behind every feud is a deal that begins.

They promise reform with a thunderous cheer,

Then vanish sheep when the wolf comes a near

For once they are sworn, and their oath has been spoken

They treat all their pledges like Chuckie Cheese tokens

They draft up some laws, slap a flag on the name,

Then bury the poison and dodge all the blame.

It’s “For the People!” till the checks come to clear,

Then it’s “Don’t call my office boy, it’s election year.”

Now the voter, God bless ’em, gets fooled every time

By slogans and sound bites and plain flat out lying

They march to the booths with a tear in their eye

Then wake up next week to a tax that’s skyhigh.

They argue online with unshakable pride

While the bills go unpaid and their savings subside.

They shout, “My guy’s honest!” with passion and flair

As he buys a new yacht off a Medicare scare.

So raise up your glass to the noble pursuit,

Where power wears smiles and truth wears a boot.

Where liars and saints share a table at dusk,

And the scent in the air is a mixture of musk.

For politics, friends, is a carnival ride

Full of clowns in fine suits with a soul to divide.

But as long as there’s voters who dream and forget,

They’ll keep sellin’ us rainbows while we’re swimmin’ in shit

END

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I’m on the road, come see me!

June 19-22 Sunnyvale, California

June 26 Fort Worth, Tx

August 14 Lexington Ky

Tix at CoreyRyanForrester.com