No John Wayne Poem by Donal Mahoney

He likes people
if they are useful.
Women are useful.
Employees are useful.
Voters are useful.
Tax experts are useful
when you have
that kind of money.

You get the feeling
he loves his children
and that's a good thing.

But despite the thunder
with which he's galloped
out of his skyscrapers
to capture so much
of America, deep
in your heart you know
even if he puts on
a ten-gallon hat
he's no John Wayne.