who counts

Emanuel proved ineffectual
coercing Congress to Obama's will.
It's cash, not threats that grants a player pull;
Chicago's games don't play Capitol Hill.
His vision of a world post-partisan
relied on folks to whom such things appeal
But Gingrich coached his choir in unison.
Barack was never gonna get a deal.
The senator from Hartford played his role,
defeating his own party by a hair.
His donors own his soul, and kept control
of what Americans "choose" in healthcare.
The Universal Care the world enjoys
can't buck the tide of Donors' cash and noise.

decline

Trump whines America's no longer great
and shirks our customary global role
espousing politics of fear, and hate
this limbic president lacks self-control.
The Germans lead the world in Human Rights
and Xi JinPing sets policy on Trade.
But Trump's still on the playground, picking fights
to prove to daddy that he's not afraid.
Our century of influence was fun
when we could fight our wars across the seas
but  after what our voters gone and done
our proud republic's sinking to her knees.
The orange president and VP pale
just illustrate anew Why Nations Fail.

Chayye Sarah III

Rebecca's heavy lifting at the well
showed Eliezer this must be the one
a coded way for his lord's God to tell
him here's the bride to bring his master's son.
Yitzhak's been silent, since we saw him, bound
expecting that his father'd take his life.
He's not to travel, tethered to the ground
but providence must bring him the right wife.
His father looms heroic in his eyes;
his sons will seek adventure in the world.
but Yitzhak's less the player, than the prize
still trusting dad will get him the right girl.
Reluctant actor on his own life's stage, 
we never see him wholly come of age.

vayeitze II

When Jacob emigrated towards Haran
Rebecca sent him fleeing for his life
his brother's bent on vengeance for the con
let Isaac think he's gone to meet a wife.
The man who'd lurked in camp, now works outside
his only shelter's heaven's starry dome
but nights are warmer with his double bride.
Without a  house, he yet contrives a home.
The stolen blessing never seems to work;
his uncle cheats him every time he can.
A score of years in service to that jerk
grew callouses all over our "smooth man".
Yeshuran, who'd been crooked can go straight
when first he's overcome his brother's hate.

cracks

Bob Mercer's washed his hands of Bannon's man
and Adelson's disgusted with Roy Moore
big donors are allergic to the Klan;
they don't align with Trump's White racist core.
The pedophile that preys on teenaged girls
displays no token of his villain's part
no comic opera mustache that he twirls
to flag his lack of empathy, and heart.
McConnell figures he can spare one seat
but needs to show Kentucky he's upright.
A candidate so damaged should be beat
(at least if his opponent's also White).
The Senate Democrats are on a roll
but still need two more seats, to take control.

revenge

Hariri's back, Beirut can speculate
what had allayed the fear that made him quit.
Hezbollah's still a martial pseudo-state
that keeps a list of enemies to hit.
Assad--who whacked Rafiq--is still at large.
It takes no genius to connect the dots.
but now, his capo Putin's taken charge
Bashar may not be free to call the shots.
Saad, himself, may answer to Riyadh;
the Lebanese arrangement's byzantine
its linkages are only known to God
our spies do what they can, from what they glean.
Assad's a fool to stick to the old tune
Hariri thinks himself the star of 'Dune'.

famous for 15 minutes

binSalman struts his hour upon the stage
as if the kingdom just awaits his plan
so confidant that--at his tender age--
the world acknowledges that he's the man.
His cousins weigh his slender resume
and mark both Syria and Yemen red.
Those ventures manifestly did not pay
unless you monetize the heaps of dead.
binMuqrin's helicopter got shot down
all hands were lost in empty seas of sand.
But throngs of cousins still could claim the crown;
it's nearly bottomless, this royal band.
King Salman's old, and evidently ill
with regal legions to contest his will