Turning

Apollo's chariot's around the mark
accelerating back the way he'd come.
It's not yet cold, but shadows stretch out dark,
and bones grow porous for the dearth of sun.
Midwinter's child grew tall, and went to school
--So long's elapsed, some details have grown vague--
just tagging home to mark each festive Yule,
until his college battened down for plague.
Away from pious claims that"God's the Cause"
as if Aquinas truly could have known,
celestial motions point to deeper laws
that now, we all acknowledge as his own.
We congregate with friends, this darkest night
to celebrate the lord who shattered light.

running on vapors

The Kremlin's buying rubles back for gold
like corporations pumping up their shares.
The specie Romanovs worked hard to hold's
evaporating in the Autumn air.
Potempkin's nation let slip the facade
that its economy can still support
the stupid war that Cyril blessed "by God",
while frightened bankers play their last resort.
That bullions finite, and his credit's shot;
Provincial Banks are glutted with his scrip.
When all that's left are nukes, and kompromat,
Ukraine hangs strong, while Putin 's seen to slip.
Failed bid to shatter Europe's common front
reveals this heir to Czars' the martial runt.

Emperor's Clothes

The Kremlin's buying rubles back in gold
from oligarchs intent to liquidate
whatever Russian assets can be sold.
The price is weak in such a panicked state.
Whoever can, is heading for the door
their capital flees faster than they can
as Russians realize they're in a war,
morale's way down since when this all began.
Potempkin's nation keeps up the facade
that it's a peer to any State extant.
But three days in, their troops had shot their wad;
and bluster won't achieve what soldiers can't.
That blitzkrieg war-chest long since burned away,
and troops get balky when the Brass can't pay.

Double Tap

"Leave no survivors!" Kegsbreath barked aloud
the crap no honest officer would think.
As if a US serviceman'd be proud
to murder sailors flailing in the drink.
Destroying evidence is always wrong--
like witness tampering--and this was both.
Loud coward who's intent on looking strong
blacked out on adolescent moral growth
Pariah Nation, strutting the world's stage;
dark parody of anything we'd been.
Apologists may point to Trump's old age;
historians are not acquiring him.
What his own Cabinet does in Trump's name,
belongs to him; he can't deflect the blame.