Flagging Reputation Poem by D.N. Rebb

There's so much riding on these grass roots' shoulders
Through enough truth ransacked with bogus snake oil
A protective wall guarded by dream soldiers
And innermost secrets that will in time spoil

Most vulnerable from exertion
Character assassination
Or a flagging reputation

Demoralized youth with apprehensive fear
Always ends up on the wrong side of the tracks
As satisfactory answers disappear
Exemption, the original question lacked

Now do not cast false aspersions
Or widespread stigmatization
From this flagging reputation

Bell the cat, as you're certainly scared sh*tless
Yellow journalism rudders silver tongues
The courage of one's convictions permits us
To backpedal all these exorbitant sums

Make peace with the situation
Excuse any explanations
For our flagging reputation