vayechi

what revelations lurk beside the Nile
once famine's chased him off the fam'ly land
that no one'd thought to teach the youngest child
but Benjamin must own, now he's a man
the figures whom he'd always looked up to
who'd seemed so worthy in his boyish eyes
the elder brothers whom he thought he knew
now show their growth acknowledging old lies
his sons have cousins born beyond the fence
untainted by the plotted fratricide
co-equal with him in inheritance
now haughty Reuben's lost his place of pride
to heal the family after all these years
is worth Yosef's deception and some tears

intramural III

"I don't report to you" John Kelly grumped
and Bannon put him on his little list
for not kow-towing to the will of Trump
and now, we'll see who wields the bigger fist
with Tillerson and Mattis at his back
the case for Kelly's legally quite strong
but Bannon's dog-pack's eager to attack
and Conway doesn't care her "facts" are wrong
a struggle no one's likely to forget
like Andrew Jackson's many years before
the ego clashes in this cabinet
could escalate into a big-league war
the 25th amendment's looking good
once Pence determines Donald Trump's unfit
to organize the putsch he knows he should
to salvage our republic from this shit
my bet's on Kelly when it comes to  knives
each day he waits could cost a lot of lives

intramural II

"I don't report to you" John Kelly grumped
and Bannon put him on his little list
for not kow-towing to the will of Trump
and now, we'll see who wields the bigger fist
with Tillerson and Mattis at his back
the case for Kelly's legally quite strong
but Bannon's dog-pack's eager to attack
and Conway doesn't care her "facts" are wrong
a struggle no one's likely to forget
like Andrew Jackson's many years before
the ego clashes in this cabinet
could escalate into a big-league war
who'll referee when they pull out the knives
this food-fight's apt to cost a lot of lives.

intramural

"I don't report to you" John Kelly grumped
and Bannon put him on his little list
for not kow-towing to the will of Trump
and now, we'll see who wields the bigger fist
with Tillerson and Mattis at his back
the case for Kelly's legally quite strong
but Bannon's dog-pack's eager to attack
and Conway doesn't care her "facts" are wrong
a struggle no one's likely to forget
like Andrew Jackson's many years before
the ego clashes in this cabinet
could escalate into a big-league war
the 25th amendment's looking good
once Pence determines Donald Trump's unfit
to organize the putsch he knows he should
to salvage our republic from this shit
who'll referee when they pull out the knives
this food-fight's apt to cost a lot of lives.

blind seer

Bob Shrum wrote Carter's speeches, but then quit
before his boss surprised the world to win
his anti-Midas touch could turn to shit
whatever campaign he kept a role in
Dukakis just looked dopey in that tank
while Kerry looked the part, but didn't fight
and neither could inspire the file and rank
each lost when voter turn-out turned out light
a ringside seat to watch the game unfold
'though all those losses must have hurt his pride
a hero's anti-epic to be told
of dominating on the losing side
between two candidates, he'll back the worse
the campaign's doomed that shares the Bob Shrum curse

power brokers

'though Clinton bore the old dynastic name
a voice lamenting in the wilderness
refused to front for donors in the game
and pulled no circus stunts to lure the press
her husband'd taught her to triangulate
as if all voters laid on one straight line
but bartering half-measures for their hate
seemed 'bout as likely as water-to-wine
the DNC just jammed it down our throat
a weaker candidate 'cause it's her turn
presuming Independents would still vote
despite their sleight of hand to quench the Bern
the Democrats contrived a way to lose
against a fascist few would ever choose

nativist nonsense

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! comes First" Trump likes to  bleat
and few remember we've been here, before
but most who claim they're native have to cheat

their ancestors passed through that same bright door

t'would take a fool to slam that Golden Gate
it's immigrants that make our country great