bum rap

for many readers, "poetry" means rhyme
and meter's not a matter of concern
manipulation of our breath and time
seems too abstruse and nothing they should learn
Miranda bucks the tide (or "swims upstream"?)
his Hamilton's the wonder of the age
as if he'd dare each rapping fool to dream
that he might captivate tomorrow's stage
starvation's the more common poet's fate
the public hates to think, and doesn't read
we teach out children literature's great
but all incentives reinforce brute greed
they've barely time to scan the morning's news
and spare no thought to gratify the Muse