the official story

Sean Spicer swears the ban is not a ban
and doesn't care his boss deploys that word
allegiance binds him  only to the man
he'll toe the line, no matter how absurd
a storm of tweets, without a strategy
keeps Trump's administration on the brink
his honor was the price of loyalty
he's paid to straight-faced bluster, not to think
if Trump succeeds, his reputation's made
as mouthpiece to the Caesar of the West
alternatives to facts are stock in trade
a new Candide, swears all is for the best
no Senate hearing's gonna normalize
portfolio of Minister of Lies

judicious

Ann Donnelly was quick to see the flaw
in Trump's outrageous anti-Muslim ban
if judges won't uphold the rule of law
it's doubtful that this Congress will, or can
three pillars should uphold a stable stool
and keep ambitions more or less in check
if only one were handed to a fool
the Ship of State might wallow, but not wreck
but Trump, with Mitch McConnell, hand in hand
could overturn what generations built
installing despotism in our land
'though less than half our voters share their guilt
resistance to Trump's ban jammed the airports
but laying it to rest rests with the courts

Rasputin

Dick Cheney spoke against the Muslim ban
like Mattis, Kelly, and Mike Pence as well.
But Bannon goaded Trump to be a man
and tell the sissies they could go to Hell.
Why should a new Crusade  provoke alarms?
Just crush the Orient to serve the West!
It's good for donors who export the arms
and he's attentive to their least behest.
I barely care which of the two's to blame
if Trump has any clear thoughts of his own;
who ever wrote it, the result's the same.
I'm frightened by the tool behind throne.
We'll have to haul dual tyrants into court
to cut their reign of outrages off short.

evil precedent

to Feldman, Korematsu's just bad law
that no one should invoke as precedent
no ruling need point out its basic flaw
it's just not what our constitution meant
instead, he must propose another test
to validate a base to build upon
his bland assurance that he knows what's best
can't guide our legal heirs when he is gone
aesthetics seem too fuzzy to be weighed
and logic--strictly--stalls at 'cogito'
so what's the benchmark to which laws get made
for those who don't let monarchs just say so
our world seems fragile while it's on the books
to hang new legislation on bad hooks

every one that doeth evil hateth the light

potential conflicts lurk in every field
like boulders that would break a plowman's share
the room is scant in which to make a deal
where pre-existing roots run everywhere
Rex Tillerson divested tons of stock
beyond what his own lawyers said he must
and put the proceeds under key and lock
to be administered in a blind trust
but Donald clings, defiant, to what's his
insisting age-old statutes don't apply
he'll turn the operations to his kids
but everyone knows where his logos fly
concealing dealings courts should scrutinize
Trump built sand towers on a web of lies

Dan Friedman

Trump's lawyer's been his most enduring friend
a closer bond than he's shared with his wives
each pre-nup specified how those would end
to buy their silence through their post-Trump lives
he boasts he could do murder in the street
yet be absolved by members of the Press
in matters of the heart, so indiscreet
his dating history's a public mess
but details of his finance we can get
would barely fill a single written page
the private bonds that underwrite his debt
negotiated in the dark, offstage
you'd be appalled at what his tax-form shows
his assets are worth less than what he owes

headless

if Trump had character, then we could talk
but banks learned, he'll default on any loan
he placed a distant second in New York
where voters know he's not one of our own
a bullshit artist with no expertise
except to prey on others' innocence
a symptom of our media's disease
who'll leave his victims praying for Mike Pence
an over-stuffed imposter in the role
expects that Congress bends to his commands
as if he were not just State's Head, but Soul
it's mad to put lives in his stubby hands
one so unfit to serve's unprecedented
soon, Pence will have to judge if he's demented

Walter Mitty

Trump seems compelled to self-mythologize
as if assertions somehow make it true
but journalists who call him on his lies
can find their press-pass passed to someone new
by his account, the sun shines when he speaks
'though all the audience was getting wet
it doesn't take a source of inside leaks
to document what he'd have us forget
he seems to find reality a bore
repaying what he's borrowed's such a drag
his pipe-dream schemes are always so much more
that what he ever brings home in the bag
this erstwhile bankrupt "master of the deal"
seems not to know what's fantasy, what's real

selection bias

no Walter Cronkite tells it like it is
each broadcast's edited to  match its niche
as different as 'Hamlet' from 'Les Miz'
this for the workers, that just for the rich
a charlatan, unqualified to lead
convinced the rabble he's the chosen one
replacing civic virtue with crass greed
as metric that he knows what  must be done
One Nation, indivisible at heart
must share the vision to which it reacts
but tailored channels tear us all apart
by offering alternatives as facts
two polities, confirmed in their own views
mine reinforcement from their chosen news

Trumpelthinskin

Trump seems compelled to self-mythologize
as if assertions build reality
but journalists who shine light on his lies
are strictly kept outside his coterie
by his account, the sun shines when he speaks
'though all the audience is getting soaked
it doesn't take a source of inside leaks
to see he doesn't know whereof he spoke
a skin so thin's no barrier at all
against the awkward facts slung from all sides
the sniper who long crouched behind a wall
now takes high office, with no place to hide
an egoist consumed with looking big
can't bear to think the world knows he's a pig

unstatesmanlike II

aspiring autocrats try to suppress
the mere idea they shouldn't grace the throne
and Freedom of Assembly, or the Press
seems dangerous for citizens to own
 a citizen asserting civil rights
expecting that his government pay heed
is apt to disappear one of these nights
with no investigation of the deed
the age of Putin, Trump, and Erdogan
twelve score years human progress gets rolled back
assaults on Universal Rights of Man
Enlightenment itself's under attack
who dares speak Trumpelthinskin's proper name
gets tweets that strive in vain to shed the blame

Hegelian

to Rove and Conway "truth" is so much clay
to be manipulated for effect
they'd never let what's right get in the way
to influence whom people should elect
so what if Donald had to hire the crowd
to fake enthusiasm for his cause
it's gratifying when they're really loud
and only losers stay within the laws
mean-spirited, and paranoid to boot
unleavened by a glint of Nixon's wit
Sean Spicer sweats through his ill-fitting suit
but only Breitbart's lapping up his shit
too late, our Press Corps rallies and reacts
to Donald Trump's contempt for proven facts

magnum est res tacere

BART runs untapered wheels of carbon steel
whose flanges keep them centered on the track
but at the cost of a soul-rending squeal
like some tormented feline on the rack
a wheel of incremented radius
would bound the train in a potential well
with no more noise than tires make on a bus
thus sparing passers-by the screams of Hell
an engineering insight of nil cost
off-patent since the age of coal and steam
a lesson that was known, but then went lost
on crucial members of the planning team
a generation shunning cars for BART
has cause to doubt its overseers are smart

Isolationists

Charles Lindbergh figured Hitler was okay
the German government's not ours to choose
if he would cast their brightest minds away
let someone else accommodate the Jews
Americans adore celebrities
imputing wisdom that they never earned
false idols whom some worship on their knees
harsh lesson that we've somehow never learned
"America!" Trump bleats "in all things First!"
and few remember we've been here, before
Fifth Columnists are probably the worst
betraying ethics that would shame a whore
t'would take a fool to slam that Golden Gate
it's immigrants that make our country great

va'era

behind the Wilderness, Moshe kept sheep
a fugitive from Egypt and blood-debt
but now, there loomed the debt he'd have to keep
God keeps accounts, 'though pharaohs may forget
an age untold, the humble thornbush burned
with no observer to attest it's real
but now, this princely shepherd saw, and turned
in awe, but hoping to demur this deal
reluctant prophet, sick with palace life
whose Hebrew was a tongue of last resort
commissioned to abandon son, and wife
and spend his days petitioning at court
epiphany complete, he dons his shoes
and undertakes to liberate the Jews

America First

the neo-Isolationist in charge
proclaimed all things American come first
ignoring Trade's potential to enlarge
his banner policy may be his worst
the Wealth of Nations, Smith explained, is made
by specializing in what you do best
exchanging that abroad, in open trade
for clothing, sustenance, and all the rest
but Trump's a font of certainty and gall
intent on many times his share of pie
safeguarding his estates behind a wall
his speeches lead the Press to think he's high
Protectionism isn't strictly news
like Lindbergh, Trump would blame it on the Jews

America First II

the neo-Isolationist in charge
proclaimed all things American come first
ignoring Trade's potential to enlarge
his banner policy may be his worst
the Wealth of Nations, Smith explained, is made
by specializing in what you do best
exchanging that abroad, in open trade
for clothing, sustenance, and all the rest
but Trump's a font of certainty and gall
intent on many times his share of pie
safeguarding his estates behind a wall
his speeches lead the Press to think he's high
Protectionism isn't strictly news
Charles Lindbergh preached that it made nations great
and went on to imply that it's the Jews
who drove the Europeans' cult of hate
some hope a coup might elevate Mike Pence
if we're to have a country four years hence

prosecutorial discretion

where Richardson demurred, Bork swung the ax
that felled our prosecutor, Archie Cox
the Nixon fiction couldn't stand on facts
preferring faith for its foundation blocks
no officer can be beyond Law's writ
if our republic's to belong to us
to be sufficiently legitimate
the president can't be felonious
but now, an amateur ascends the throne
unfettered by a scruple, or a doubt
intent on turning profits of his own
and Congress lacks the balls to throw him out
the same law binds the mighty and the weak
but chances of enforcement look damned bleak

the new darkness

Buchanan bathed in Use Immunity
like magic waters of the river Styx
absolving years of pious treachery

and normalizing Nixon's dirty tricks

O brave new world! 'Twill never be the same

such cynicism loosed upon the land

debasing public service to a game

the tide of bullshit's wholly out of hand

this orange clown swept in on that wave's crest

brings no experience that's relevant

but sycophants assure him he's the best

and journalists seem weirdly diffident

salvation must rely on a Free Press

but many seem complicit in our mess

journalism

Sam Donaldson got in Dick Nixon's face
as journalists of yore were wont to do
evasions spurred the houndpack to give chase
to ascertain if what's alleged were true
John Dean came clean, and "Use Immunity"
diverted any guilt from his fair head
but Mitchell lied in stubborn loyalty
until the tapes laid bare what had been said
Clark Clifford's plan provoked a laugh, at first
but something had to make the bleeding stop
as testimony veered from bad to worst
and all could see the guilt went to the top
we long for such deliverance in vain
while Breitbart dances on the Donald's chain

snowflake

two molecules of water can't form ice
at best, they share a single hydrogen
no less than five could possibly suffice
to sketch the unit right tetrahedron
thereafter, each incomer's free to dock
if its kinetic energy's alright
forsaking role as gas for role as rock
to claim a free coordination site
six vertices in six directions grow
each independently hews to the norm
as building blocks march outwards, row by row
defining a new snowflake's starry form
reductionism picks a thing apart
to grasp it by the method of Descartes

Kellyanne

the gold he showers onto Kellyanne
procures her temporary loyalty
but she's still game to love another man
if he puts up the customary fee
Trump's victims were the punchlines of her speech
when she led operations for Ted Cruz
but she glommed onto Donald like a leech
when she could see that Ted was gonna lose
no journalistic ethos tints her prose
morality's no part of what he's bought
she'll bend whichever way her fuehrer blows
and double down again when he gets caught
America's accustomed to much more
but trusts its name this term to Trump's newswhore

vayechi

one final trick, ere Genesis is done
the trickster tricked, who'd grown rich sowing strife
'though Jacob's right hand's on the younger son
he's not the author of his end of life
imploring Little Joe to swear an oath
he laid his thigh upon his scion's hand
'though Goshen's blessed his flocks and seed with growth
he won't lie mold'ring in this foreign land
the stolen blessing never really paid
he bowed to Esau, and died in galut
regardless of the life-plans he had made
the famine in the land made all that moot
who'd dare to laugh when God brings Jacob home
if only to the fam'ly catacomb

We the People

of all our rights, Free Press gets pride of place
up there with Speech in our Amendment One
what kind of farce of an election race
if we the people can't know what's been done
Bill Keller, quashing wiretaps from the news
mocked our pretense of ruling from the polls
empow'ring Cheney/Bush by this abuse
to keep their illegitimate control
now, Netanyahu's finally been caught
negotiating with no go-between
for the best coverage that can be bought
it's all there on his office tape-machine
we're witless pawns in someone's shabby game
if we can't know what's been done in our name

empire II

Monroe proposed we be the hegemon

from pole to pole, a private hemisphere

the specious logic his claim's based upon

to some of us, was never wholly clear

he preached our destiny was manifest

to anyone who has the eyes to see

one nation, overshadowing the rest

to dominate from sea to shining sea

secure behind our moat, we burgeoned strong

what better defense than our briny shores

and only when incensed by some great wrong

need we participate in foreign wars

a hundred years, the world bent to our will

but we can't endlessly pick up this bill

aftermath

the overriding mass of warm, moist air
produces rain that freezes on contact
a wonderland in crystal armor fair
each twig a prism in which light refracts
a static glory, stilllife set in glass
but wind and gravity are twin landmines
bare trees were not designed for so much mass
and some will crash down on our powerlines
perspective tints our view of such a scene
a landlord waiting for maintenance crews
might feel the splendid landscape not as keen
as transients without a stake to lose
what's Truth? what's Beauty? it's so hard to say
so much looks different each passing day

empire

Monroe proposed we be the hegemon
from pole to pole, a private hemisphere
the specious logic his claim's based upon
to some of us, was never wholly clear
he preached our destiny was manifest
to anyone who has the eyes to see
one nation, overshadowing the rest
to dominate from sea to shining sea
secure behind our moat, we burgeoned strong
what better defense than our briny shores
and only when incensed by some great wrong
need we participate in foreign wars
but now a peril bites us in the rump
the Russian may yet win by playing Trump

going forward

resisting Trump's incumbent on us all
Republicans, and Democrats alike
if we don't want our kids to live in thrall
without a living wage, or right to strike
his economic vision's zero-sum
his empty talk of growth is content-free
to trust him at our helm is more than dumb
it's a betrayal of our progeny
when out of power, Mitch McConnell's boys
appeared united, always braying "nay"
the opposition's all about the noise
it's optional to have something to say
his cabinet's stocked from the rabid fringe
we've got to fight, not merely whine and whinge

A Man for Our Season

sir Thomas More stood firm before his lord
the Law's unbending advocate at court
a man of words, preferring pen to sword
his argument--'though right--was cut off short
to make a law that's binding on the king
a legislature hems the use of force
unchecked, executives seize everything
your land, your son, your daughter, and your horse
but Donald doesn't know this history
nor how our checks and balances should work
he wants to dictate how things gonna be
and get a rubber stamp from his hired clerk
our institutions buckle with the strain
as Trump exploits high office for his gain

dishonorable

Trump's quick to swear an oath he doesn't mean
he rarely keeps a contract, or a wife
assurances from him ain't what they seem
'though sworn upon his assets, or his life
he'll speak the words and raise his stubby paw
like some cheap promo, or a photo-op
so confidant that he's above the law
as insincere as his fake orange mop
the twenty-fifth amendment might yet serve
when he's made clear his gross incompetence
the cabinet must muster up the nerve
to turn him out in favor of Mike Pence
a drastic measure for these drastic straits
sad elegy for the United States

poorly-educated

our First Amendment rights appear too great
to Trump who'd petulantly throw the book
at journalists whom courts exonerate
their speech is eminently off the hook
against his legal counsel, he'll report
no income when his creditors forgave
a debt when hauled before bankruptcy court
his obligations vanish with a wave
the constitution that he's never read's
an inconvenience to his venal schemes
advisors with a grasp of what it said
get fired for interfering with his dreams
too subtle to grasp in his stubby paw
the president is not above the law

Byzantine

Mike Pence sat out the knife-fights on the stage
where he'd be subject to close scrutiny
preferring a much subtler war to wage
while he professes Christian charity
he'd overturn the whole Enlightenment
that says each moral agent knows what's right
he'd let the Church dictate to government
and shield those dealings from the Press' light
Trump brings no policies to call his own
his soundbites baffle rather than cohere
Rasputin-like, a voice behind the throne
maneuvers to imprint his values there
vice presidents don't get a lot to do
until they engineer that palace coup

25th Amendment

Trump's quick to swear an oath he'll never keep
upon a bible that he's never read
convictions that--for others--run bone-deep
bounce limply off his swollen orange head
Reince Priebus means to co-opt Donald's win
by vetting picks to man his cabinet
he'll twist the knife, but never drop the grin
or let the beaten candidates forget
the battle's joined for Donald's ear, and soul
who has no policy to call his own
a clever boot-lick might exert control
Rasputin-like soft voice behind the throne
a palace coup could elevate Mike Pence
but 'til they strike, he'll feign due deference

insecure

Rex Tillerson's the best that Donald's named
outstanding in the company he keeps
a better man than he would be ashamed
a veritable prince among these creeps
Trump's cabinet disdains to regulate
they long for broad horizons, a wild West
in Trade, or Education, even State
the Donald's confidant he knows what's best
unfettered and unsupervised to boot
invoking magic of the "Market Force"
regressing to the age of Hawley-Smoot
he'd hand the profiteers keys to the source
this cabinet's stocked from the bottom shelf
'cause he'll hire no one smarter than himself

drunkard's walk

the alkaloids a plant makes for defense
were not designed to mess with mammals' minds
receptors that light up are accidents
but fortunes can be made from such chance finds
small-molecule potential space is vast
and screening for a drug's not without cost
what's done responsibly can't be done fast
and even so, a weak lead may go lost
what Darwin's optimized a billion years
a curandero greets as the gods' gift
intoxicants go way past wines and beers
to give our ideation a quick lift
no barrier divides the nose from brain
impeding instant uptake of cocaine