'Goodwill' Hunting Poem by Long Tooth

'Goodwill' Hunting

Does it make you sad too that Republicans say
That no man is my 'brother' who won't make me right, (1)
That diversities' bona fides died.
Parties punish a member who won't smoke their 'joint, '
It seems all that they care about's winning the fight,
Not their fault if your conscience gets fried.

World of politics now is a loyalty test,
And debate on the merits becoming passé
For the devil one knows has to win.
Give the devil his due, listening's a lost art,
It seems compromise shouts you're the ponce of the day
For 'both parties to win now's a sin!

So where did we go wrong? One place, Nixon's disgrace!
For the party of Lincoln an act to explain,
(After that public trust, a lost cause) .
And then Kennedy died, Camelot crucified,
'Great society' born on the wave of that pain,
'Brother love' was attempted though laws.

Man's distrust, no concern, it was too much, too soon,
Though the pen may win scrimmage, at last, the sword wins,
For no logic can conquer the heart.
It's utopian plan, write a law, change the man,
Human fate sits uneasy on needles and pins,
For real peace needs goodwill from the start. (2)

I am not saying here that I'm sure that you're wrong,
But I do want in goodwill to caution us all,
Clear in scripture, to love men, serves God.
Yes, to honor your family's part of that task,
But the service of others is how you stand tall,
Independence suggests you're a fraud.


Long Tooth
April 28,2018

Poet's notes:
(1) Politics is supposed to include "horsetrading! " It is a venerable
tradition in this country and essential for governing to work as it
should. Those, of either party, who demand that their members
follow the parties' desires and not those of the member's
constituents are a new kind of modern day terrorist and have more
in common with the Taliban than with American ideals.
(2) When Republicans announced (without shame)their intention to
sabotage every Obama (Democratic)piece of legislation in principle
(even if they liked it) , they committed an act of treason against our
country and democratic ideals in my opinion. May God and the
nation forgive both parties for such crimes and try to deal with the
thinking that brings on such egregious evil so that we might move
forward together!