Phaedra III

Hippolytus disdained to share his bed
the horse and hunt were where his passion burned
that earned a father's curse upon his head
and rage from Aphrodite who felt spurned
two sisters Theseus had wooed and won
and Phaedra bore two boys to seal the deal
but meeting her step-son she was undone
she knew her duty but could not not feel
like Theseus restored to youth once more
when first the hero broke the sway of Crete
propriety and passion waging war
the sight of him was like the Summer's heat
a helpless pawn in the goddess' game
who--dying--left her nurse to take the blame

Phaedra II

Hippolytus disdained to share his bed
his passion was for horses and the hunt
that earned a father's curse upon his head
'cause Aphrodite's such a jealous cunt
two sisters Theseus had wooed and won
and Phaedra bore two boys to seal the deal
but meeting her step-son she was undone
she knew her duty but could not not feel
like Theseus restored to youth once more
when first the hero broke the sway of Crete
propriety and passion waging war
the sight of him was like the Summer's heat
a helpless pawn in the goddess' game
who--dying--left her nurse to take the blame

lift up thine eyes

the attitude of gratitude is key
to finding satisfaction in this life
there's more delight in what's on offer free
than marrying an umpteenth trophy wife
a marketer invents a new desire
then foists in on us like it were our own
but all we're buying is a bigger pyre
one more attachment for which to atone
contentment's on the path, not in the goal
and can't be packaged like mere merchandise
the dirt that shuts a rich corpse in its hole
is unimpressed when--like the rest--he dies
from birth to death the journey's all too brief
to trade the dancing joys for plodding grief

Theseus

Hippolytus spurned Phaedra and was cursed
when Theseus rushed to defend his wife
without researching who was at fault first
his son paid for that folly with his life
to serve one goddess drove another mad
he didn't worship each one in Her place
excess turned piety from good to bad
the Cyprian loves Love, and not the Chase
two sisters Theseus took to his bed
exotic brides raised in the court at Crete
he slew their brother, now they too lie dead
there's none to comfort him in his defeat
strange hero founded Athens and its throne
who--like his first-born's--doomed to sleep alone

policism

the private sphere's not for our FBI
nor cops--without a warrant--to inspect
Due Process circumscribes the eyes that pry
subordinate to judges we elect
political opinions are our own
to publicize or privately discuss
no wire-tap camera or microphone
--without probable cause--should rat on us
legitimacy's built on public will
and never from the barrel of a gun
'though Mammon's altar's on Capitol Hill
we'd known what "honor" is when we'd begun
as County Sheriffs militarize ops
our Liberty's imperiled by our cops

private lens

incompetence is hard to self-assess
the top performers always harbor doubt
but rarely will the many who know less
appreciate the wisdom they're without
Dave Dunning leant this paradox his name
that no one had remarked upon 'til now
a funny hook on which to hang his fame
among the journal-reading middle-brow
the Trump phenomenon is scant surprise
from his perspective, all he does is Great!
there's never anyone who verifies
his only genius is exploiting hate
his stubby fingers strain for the brass ring
a Walter Mitty thinks himself a king

externalities

miraculous machines make steak from grass
a clever trick for a dumb herbivore
but if you would account for all the mass

you've also got to tally CH4

like kangaroos, cows spew out greenhouse gas
a peril to our ice-caps and earth's fate
but what--DownUnder--comes out a 'roo's ass
our ungulates prefer to eructate
mean symbiote conveys no benefit
the cow gives room and board but gets no gain
what's not absorbed would all be passed as shit
except Archaea vent clouds of methane
sea-levels rise and corals bleach from heat
because--in part--we're eating too much meat