Media Circus Poem by Alfred Barna

Elections! Elections! ; elephants and donkeys have come to town
Barkers of slogans, whirling dancers, debates that will strike you dumb
Political theaters, drama, obedient clap, come enter now, the clown
Their masks and makeup are flawless, laughter, nose to thumb
Marionettes upon strings, which do you, propose to fancy
To speak for you, act for you, spend, does it make you antsy
You'll vote for the one with the long nose, and squeaky voice
After all, when you look at them, do you really have a true choice?

Why our obsession with leaders? Seems so bizarre
As if we expect some superhero to come to our rescue
Like a child who captures an unaware bug into a jar
Examining the hapless audience, who once flew
Expecting the leaders to free us from our quandary or mess
While leaders are amused performing for their guest
Leaders need enemies and followers in which to follow
Wars and inquisitions, once bitter, now we must swallow

Drawing your attentions now to the center ring
The crescendo of instruments are just like us; being played
While off to the left catastrophe, the tent collapsing; yet sing
The crowd yet entertained, the falling timbers cracking, yet they stayed
What is in our nature? Is the darkness within the divide
Or within the right/left paradigm and lying on either side
Make no mistake we are tinder down to our very soul
Yet when exposed to flame, we are consumed by what we don't control

When we relinquish our hopes and dreams to others
We break the bonds to our natures, and believe in fairy tales
For who watches the watchers if not our friends and our brothers
We must hold ourselves to account when our dream fails
Stop Nietzsche, creating the overman, for men's powers must be short
Within the halls of legislatures, the executives, and within even the court
Leash also the corporations, and constructs of unlimited reach
Always these lessons to our children we must forever them teach