the next revolution

Now, Carrie Lam implies she's just the glove
concealing Moscow's fist that moves her mouth.
Authority's imposed by those above,
while on the street, the markets have gone South.
In '97, Hong Kong money fled
to Canada, where passports could be bought
by those who were unwilling to go Red,
regardless what Mao's Little Red Book taught.
The Communists now look to Chairman Xi
who long ago discarded Marx' books.
As long a some enjoy prosperity
mainlanders like the State to stay unshook.
The hopes that Tiananmen Square's legions heard
won't be forgotten, 'though they get deferred.

People's Republic

Hong Kongers vest no faith in chairman Xi
nor Lam, who seems complicit in his goal.
The lease ran out, but civil liberty
still ought--they deem--transcend Beijing's control.
Xi knows iconic martyrs help their cause;
no tankman's gonna thwart his armored might.
But they don't get to legislate their laws;
he means to crush them, but demurs to fight.
Their city took a hit, 2008;
Shanghai recovered quicker from that fall.
But tentacles of Xi's Surveillance State
provoke defiance up against the wall.
George Orwell knew some fates are worse than war;
Xi's new RedBook is 1984.

infidelity

Trump wants our longtime allies to defray
the cost to billet troops on foreign soil.
His shoulder's cold if they won't pay to play;
The LongPeace is dissolving in turmoil.
Taipei may build a tower in his name,
and wink when he defaults on what he owes.
That he's corrupt, they're not the ones to blame
to buy a friend against their mainland foes.
But Xi perceived he's not a friend to trust;
he'll pick off border-states like so much fruit.
Let academics scream that it's unjust;
they bring no armaments to this dispute.
Like James Buchanan, many lives before;
Trump's legacy will be a world at war.

leaderless

For Putin, North Korea's bomb's a win
that blares in neon lights Trump's impotence
he'll crush that stubby paw and chat, and grin
let no one doubt who brings the competence
a world on fire suits Vladimir just fine
exporting Arms will bring a flood of cash
let diplomats swap lies, and wine and dine
there's profit building cities back from ash
the fear of refugees scares Xi at night
when Kim collapses, millions mean to flee
he's no our ally in this global fight
Korean fallout mostly drifts to sea
to play the man's more than this Trump is worth
no Churchill's stepping forth to save the Earth