Monday, May 25, 2009

Speaking of bad poetry...

Former GOP Presidential candidate Mike Huckabee writes:


Fancy Nancy

Here's a story about a lady named Nancy
A ruthless politician, but dressed very fancy
Very ambitious, she got herself elected Speaker
But as for keeping secrets, she proved quite a "leaker."

She flies on government planes coast to coast
And doesn't mind that our economy is toast
She makes the Air Force squire her in their military jets
There's room for her family, her staff, and even her pets.

Until now, she annoyed us, but her gaffes were mostly funny;
Even though it was painful to watch her waste our tax money.
But now her wacky comments are no laughing matter;
She's either unwilling to tell the truth, or she's mad as a hatter!

She sat in briefings and knew about enhanced interrogation;
But claims she wasn't there, and can't give an explanation.
She disparages the CIA and says they are a bunch of liars;
Even the press aren't buying it and they're stoking their fires.

I think Speaker Pelosi has done too much speaking;
And instead of her trashing our intelligence officials, it's her nose that needs tweaking.
If forced to believe whether the CIA and her colleagues in Congress are lying;
Or it's Speaker Pelosi whose credibility and career is dying.

I believe in the integrity of the men and women who sacrifice to keep us safe;
Not the woman who has been caught flat-footed, lying to our face.
I say it here and I say it rather clear-
It's time for Nancy Pelosi to resign and get out of here.

10 comments:

Geoffrey A. Landis said...

Yeah, that's a good example of why I don't like political poetry.

To be fair, though, this isn't poetry, it's political posturing, which is to say, it's campaigning, a form of advertising. It doesn't really matter if it's "good" or "bad" in any poetic sense; it's a success if it gets people to reprint it in places where people get exposed to it.

Like, say, clevelandpoetics.

John B. Burroughs said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
John B. Burroughs said...

Did Huck really write this?

Funny that he speaks of Pelosi's ambition - since she has not yet run for President.

Honestly, I did not force myself to read the whole piece. But though Huck may not excel as a poet, he certainly comes across to me as a po' it.

michael salinger said...

Yep he wrote this.

John B. Burroughs said...

No wonder he couldn't outperform John McCain!

Theresa Göttl Brightman said...

I'm with Geoff on this.

michael salinger said...

C'mon guys, I don't think anyone who reads this blog is going to have their political perspective swayed by this atrocious poem. Like Freud said, – "Sometimes a cigar IS a cigar."

It's funny.

Theresa Göttl Brightman said...

Not saying that I didn't get a giggle out of it :)

Geoffrey A. Landis said...

Politics, like advertising, is about repetition of message.

This poem was apparently very successful at it. You just called it an "atrocious poem" but you are absolutely missing the point. It is, in fact, a brilliant success for what it was intended to do, which is to get repeated across the internet. And, yes, repetition of message is how political perspectives are changed. When people who don't even like your message nevertheless propagate your message verbatim across social networks-- god, you can't buy success like that.

My hat's off to the Huck. This is poetry with a message, and he, apparently, knows exactly what he's doing.

michael salinger said...

Gee thanks Geoff -

I never figured he wanted it to be re-posted anywhere. Think I'll go empty my drool cup now.

Cited...

The poet doesn't invent. He listens. ~Jean Cocteau