Director Of The Moral Conscience Poem by Tom Courtney

I will report to the President in the Square Office
I will visit my chair in Congress periodically, when I am not out on a junket
I will preside in the Supreme Court, once every full moon
I will ride herd on the press and media, before I have been put out to pasture
I will dropp in to pay a visit to our governors, but only as time permits, and of course, start with those states that have the most delegates
I may come calling at lower levels of governance, but seldom, as where seldom needed, seldom responding
And I will speak to the people, directly through the media and in the spirit

I will speak with many voices, I will say many things, I will question more than answer
I will raise concerns, issues that should be addressed
I will never attempt to persuade: I will leave that to director of propaganda I will merely tweak

I will bring little reminders here and there; I will occasionally come in the night and disturb your sleep
I will not push, as I am not an enforcer
I will ask many, many questions
You will get tired of hearing my voice
I will become shrill to you in very short order
You will wish me away, and I will come uninvited, until you forcefully cast me aside

I will go against the common grain
I will more often than not, be unpopular
I would never win an election, unfortunately
Perhaps it is best that I not endeavor to enter the campaign
I should really give up trying to influence those in office or running
They have mostly closed their ears anyway
I will eventually die off, for in our nation's youth, I was a formative force, because people remembered what tyranny was
They still felt the lash of oppression of man over man
They live at or near subsistence level, what we call 'poverty' now, but they felt rich, because I thrived in their hearts and minds
I gave them great strength, strength to think great thoughts, to dream great dreams and to accomplish almost anything. But perhaps I did too well, because with me came freedom. With me came social justice.
With me came prosperity

I fed the people too well, and the nation grew strong, and the new generations came,
Young ones never tasting persecution,
never touching injustice,
never without the latest media device,
never out of style in their manner
I did my job too well, and I helped raise up a people who do not know anything but affluence, wealth and power
And they have now forgotten from whence it all came
They run amok, seeking only new stimulations for their senses
They respect nothing of history, because they do not know it Yet in their arrogance, they think they know it all
And now, they have no place for me
No, sadly, I must withdraw my offer to serve: they do not listen
My job has been diminished to the point where I am compromised to occupy the post

I cannot, indeed, I will not serve in such administration
As I said, I fear I cannot be elected, and you will not want me on your team
And if you listen sincerely to me, you too will fall, at least in the eyes of the people
I am sorry that this is the outcome of it all
I tried my best to serve, but they have shown me their deaf ear once too often
And there comes a point with me, where if you shove me aside too often, you will not hear from me again