Tag Archives: irony

Dada

Art for art’s sake? Some mad Protestant Hell:
give glory to gods too quick dethroned,
the crowds that crowned them discharged early
and now gone home,
their purpose found too soon,
before they grew strong.

Without any message, pure art, placed alone,
not impeded by method or philosophy,
no subconscious symbolist message conveyed;
has any such work ever been shown?

The portrayal of struggle, when experienced second-hand
through books, and paintings, and endless streams
of made-for-television movies,
simulcasts of refugees,
on-the-scene reports
and cameras no longer hidden,
cannot help but pose an inference or two,
even against the observer’s better judgment.

All things serve some purpose.

Those that last, that affect real change in the world?
The few that have a chance of achieving longevity
in a world obsessed with fifteen second sound bytes
find that purpose outside themselves.

No thing that exists for its own self alone
really exists.

It has no beginning.
It has no end.
It has no time.
It has no place.

It must be God.

06 MAY 2004

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The Anti-War Codicil

Crank up the war machine, conscript the poor!
The wisest solution is we must to war.
For we are insulted, and slighted, and more;
we must have a cause, a wolf there at the door.

We lead by example, as everyone knows,
an emperor naked, in praise of our clothes;
yet no one makes mention, and why, you suppose,
that our face is disfigured from lacking a nose?

And who are we fighting? Well, we’re not quite sure —
but it’s doubtless an evil that threatens the pure,
a menace to freedom, and all that’s demure —
well, it’s symptoms, not causes we’re aiming to cure.

So let fly the cannon and loose the war plane!
No rhetoric slows us; no need to explain.
“There’s no time to waste!” should be our proud refrain;
enthusiasm is what conquers our pain.

And those who still wonder, and question this fate?
We must give up freedom for good of the state;
and forget convenience before it’s too late.
Just think of those brave souls with naught on their plate!

If were were in Rome, we would need some great Nero:
a leader with vision, who lets our fire grow.
With flourish and pomp we’ll declare our new hero!
The score? Give us one, and give everyone zero.

05 DEC 2002

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