turn of the year

On winter solstice, Nine set out, put Rivendell behind
The glowing hearth, the sound of song, were banished from their minds
Strange Quest! Whose purpose was to lose a treasure (not to find)
One mage, one elf, one dwarf, two men, and four of Hobbit kind.
Tall Boromir expected crowds to cheer him on his way
and damsels vying for his glance in Samite dresses gay.
He blew a ringing trumpet-blast, a strutting cock at play
But Gandalf scowled and warned he'd take that noisy toy away.
The Morgul-blade that narrowly stopped short before it's mark
spared Frodo, and he'd healed in time, in Elrond's verdant park.
'Though only Bill went cheerfully, as if it were a lark,
they left at dusk and stealthily pressed Southward in the dark.
Through Kazad Dum, through vernal Wood, through snow and fetid mire,
beyond all hope, they cast the ruling Ring into the Fire.

glorious Summer

Midsummer day, the Lady Arwen wed
To Aragorn, who'd waited all his life.
'Though all his cohort passed and long lie dead,
he's in his prime to take his high-born wife.
Earendil's  two lines  conjoin again
like Luthien took Beren long ago
as elvish lords, and kings of mortal men
rejoice in victory's soft afterglow.
One Age has passed, one Age begins with cheers.
'Though much of ancient grandeur most now fade
the wedding turns our minds to coming years
as genes and memes march down the long parade.
The narrative turns a portentous bend
but more remains to tell, before book's end.

Companions

At equinox, he left the Riddermark
on Shadowfax to hasten Frodo's way.
'Though Saruman'd gone wholly to the Dark,
some puissant allies still defied his sway.
While Mithrandir sought counsel with the Wise,
four hobbits took the parlous road to Bree,
where Aragorn--still in his Ranger's guise--
was welcomed to their growing Company.
One elf, one dwarf, plus Boromir the Tall,
at Imladris, at nobody's behest
responded to a Higher Power's call
to make the Nine entrusted with the Quest.
Such links we forge in times of mortal strife
lend joy and purpose in this fleeting life.

spin

The media hand Buttigieg a "win"
for coming second at New Hampshire's polls
forsaking journalism; to ply spin
Orwellian corruption of their role.
'Though Sanders--who came first--deserves the bump
that's unacknowledged in the bogus news.
They're rather throw the whole campaign to Trump
than give full citizenship rights to Jews.
And Klobuchar, who flubbed her own mid-west
is hailed like in some other world, she'd won.
As if one fourth, one third, made her the best
ignoring what her stronger rivals'd done.
Democracy's the wrong word for our mess
when we can't trust the ethics of "our" Press

disarray

In Iowa, Joe Biden didn't place
first, second, third...a sonambulist's show.
If it's a harbinger of the whole race
the nominee will not be sleepy  Joe.
Plurality deemed Bernie the best man
to serve the People as Our head of state.
A lot still look to Warren and her plan
to--incrementally--make us more great.
But mayor Pete was quick to claim he'd "won"
before the votes were tallied, verified
when cavassing was barely halfway done--
as if he'd got the story from inside.
Debacle supercedes catastrophe
until we overthrow this DNC

for lack of values

Bill Clinton executed a slick coup
betraying Labor to play Bankers' whore
No worker's had a chance since '92
Financiers own the field in this Class War.
What Management has captured won't swing back
by meekly voting-in the party slate.
Pretending rights are not under attack,
we give the few ten times their proper weight.
Milt Friedman's underlying fallacy
mistook stock-price for what an asset's worth.
Four decades on, this arrant lunacy
seems bent selling off all on life on Earth.
Two parties in the thrall if too-big Banks
ill-serve the People in our files, and ranks.

debacle

The media were eager to give Pete
the win in Iowa, 'though questions mount.
Portraying him the leading man to beat--
if you'd just turn a blind eye to the count.
Plurality deem Bernie is the man
who'd serve the People as our head of state.
While many look to Warren and her plan
to make us--incrementally--more great.
But mayor Pete was quick to crow he'd "won"
before the count was in and verified,
when canvassing was only halfway done
as if he'd got his story from inside.
Debacle supercedes catastrophe
until we overthrow this DNC.