stuck

the Donald co-opted the Right's machine
and Clinton took it for the other side
the one's a charmless wonk, the other's mean
but they share donor lists and sinful pride
the menu's fixed; it's one of just these two
and neither's representing you and me
each candidate speaks for the wealthy few
who purchase access with each speaker's fee
we'll miss Barack, eight years now seems too short
while Mitch scored points by running out the clock
but if he takes a seat on our High Court
Progressive issues are back on the dock
'til Snowden comes of age to top the bill
we'll have no champion for the Public Will

sound and fury

Barack Obama ripped Trump a new ass
for screwing workers who'd built his estate
more evidence the blowhard's got no class
and thinks oppressing others makes him "great"
a bouffant fascist playing to the crowd
who read his posture, not his policy
who love to roar along when he gets loud
mistaking lawlessness for Liberty
degraded politics of taunts and noise
there's no advantage gained through sober thought
a brawl too childish for most highschool boys
in which one's mocked if he has not been bought
but 2020, Ed Snowden's of age
to run on issues, rather than on rage

paper hero

Petraeus tried repackaging defeat
like dying slower had defined our goals
the media embraced it, 'cause it's neat
colluding to obscure our own death-tolls
no photos graced the pages of their rags
as editors jumped through Dick Cheney's hoops
while soldiers got shipped home in body bags
averting eyes from our homecoming troops
his arc peaked early, but soon ran its course
when leaks were traced back to his CIA
another hero toppled from his horse
another GoldenBoy with feet of clay
he falls for sex and fades from public view
and now it's time to pardon Snowden, too         

Pardon Snowden!

Retirement loosened Eric Holder's tongue
conceding Edward Snowden might be right
the man he'd wanted gagged and tried and hung
looks more heroic in a layman's light
he'd never shown a prosecutor's zeal
preferring talks on sociology
expounding how injustice made him feel
but leaving Zimmerman to walk Scot-free
democracy's reliant on such leaks
for citizenry to exert due sway
a government that acts but never speaks
de facto takes our sovereignty away
without transparency, we're merely thralls
imprisoned in these epistemic walls