Thursday, October 25, 2012

Day Must Follow Night



image borrowed from bing


Day Must Follow Night

Will America ever awaken from Republican Night?
Could we bask in the warmth of Democratic Day?
As a voter, I hope to God my choice is right!

The Bush Crusades thrust us into the fight,
crushing our joy into twelve shades of gray.
Will America ever awaken from Republican Night?

The 1% always seem to take the biggest bite,
laughing at our insistence that they too pay.
As a voter, I hope to God my choice is right!

We’re consumed by corporate greed and might.
Our monstrous National Debt will just not go away.
Will America ever awaken from Republican Night?

Robo-calls interrupt us without an invite;
Sneering and scowling, we’ve forgotten to be gay.
As a voter, I hope to God my choice is right!

Tell the damn GOP to go fly a kite!
We must preserve democracy I say!
Will America ever awaken from Republican Night?
As a voter, I hope to God my choice is right!


Glenn Buttkus

October 2012

Posted over on dVerse Poets FFA

Do you want to hear the author read this Villanelle to you?

17 comments:

Brian Miller said...

haha we both went political in our villanelles...nice...dang its all screwed up man...i am an independant but i will vote democratic again this year...the republicans scare the crap out of me...just this week---between palin getting racist, the indiana senators comments on rape pregnancies-and romney staunchly backing him, trumps tinkering with the offer, coultiers use of retard for the president ( a word i hate) and our local republican head telling my high school students that he knows the lazy blacks that the president came from and how confused he is for having a poor upbringing....ugh...not to mention billy graham rolling over after all these years...

i am getting long winded...needless to say, i feel you man....nice form, nice verse...

Jessica Lynn Lang said...

Political poetry is awesome. Although I'd disagree with your sentiment. I truly believe the system is to blame, and the Democrats are just as bad as the Republicans. What we should be angry about is that we have to choose between horrible and worse.

Beachanny said...

The form fits the subject well. I would love to see us move to center. It's scary when our allies are accusing us of moving toward a fascist state..in reality we've polarized to near fascism, and moving to socialism and that is far enough away to cause a tear in the social fabric. I pray for a move to center, and for the demise of Rupert Murdoch and his evil empire - the real life Lex Luthor - cause I don't see no Superman!

Hot Rod Pics said...

Man, I loved this. I do so hope the light continues to shine for the next four years, and many more.

Susan Daniels said...

This is awesome, really worked well, and I too am Baraking my vote...

Ginny Brannan said...

Enjoyed both your well-written villanelle and political choice! Nice to see politics are weighing in on someone else's mind today too.(Though nothing to do with villanelles, this was my little write of the day, after viewing all the lovely political posts on my FB newsfeed! http://insideoutpoetry.blogspot.com/2012/10/political-allusions-suessical-type-rhyme.html )

Nicely penned villanelle, Glenn.

Tashtoo said...

I wish I had a vote. I'd have to cast it after seeing the idiocy the Republicans are offering up. From the outside looking in, all I can say is if Romney takes it...we're all...sorry, the only word I can think of is fucked! Your country's influence is HUGE...I know I'm supposed to comment regarding form...so I will say the only flaw I find is the hint of doubt in your voice. You have to KNOW you voted right...right?

hedgewitch said...

Couldn't agree with you more. The Republican party hasn't always been this insane, but it seems to have embraced every backwards concept out there, desperate people desperately wanting to go back to an 18th or 19th century past that never was. Nice use of the repeating format here to drive your message home.

Anonymous said...

You did well...this is the second poem of your I've read and put together so well. I like the day and night difference. gardenlilie.com

Claudia said...

oh i can feel you in this...we vote and not sure how things will develop..if they keep their promises...in which direction they move...very cool political villanelle glenn

henry clemmons said...

Very effective use of form. I have no dog in this political hunt, but the voting process is very important for people to exercise thier freedom. No matter what country we live in; that recognizes freedom that is.

RMP said...

I'd say good luck with making the right choice, but it's sounds like you've already made your decision. a well penned villanelle.

J Cosmo Newbery said...

A clever use of the prompt.

Kathy Reed said...

In total agreement here..both in the form and how you used it and also the choice..I just don't understand how so many, according to Romney's interpretation of the polls, people would be so ignorant to vote against their own interests by voting for him???!

lucychili said...

i think it is a problem to only be able to see 2 parties. the republicans do not need to win they have enough money in their companies to impact government regardless who wins. voting democratic is ok but you also need to ask obama to stop war, stop torture, stop drones killing families. i think he needs your vocal specific support in these things to work against the interests of military companies.
do you know that your greens candidate was arrested trying to attend the debates - such a thing should not happen in a democracy?

Semaphore said...

Great use of the poetic structure to underline the subject matter. I wouldn't have thought such straightforward political commentary could work in this form, but it does. Good work!

Anonymous said...

""i think it is a problem to only be able to see 2 parties""

YEP