Picked To Puppet Dummies Poem by Lawrence S. Pertillar

Broad are their smiles.
Predicted are their quips to mimic.
Picked to puppet dummies strung.
From strings that are pulled.
Once to sit on the laps,
Of seen and observed ventriloquists.

Lifelike with eyes bright.
Although without thought or a brain.
Hollow and shallow.
And maneuvered to trick.
Yet kept from the people,
Is a motive devised to disguise...
The act and purpose of it.
Applauded is the undermining.
Mocked and marketed.
Before adoring and accepting eyes.
As these picked to puppet dummies,
Describe in detail...
The events of a coming demise.
Laughing as they watch,
Their deceiving performances well received.

Presenting an appearance,
To represent wholesome deeds.
Villains they are not saviors.
Yet no one perceives them to be thieves.
Crooks from the gutter.
With criminal intent.
Up their string pulling sleeves.
Known only by those,
Behind the scenes.
Laughing hysterically.

"What dummies! "

-Which ones? -

"Who are you? "

- The judge, the jury and the prosecutor.
But,
There is one thing missing from your act.-

"Oh? What's that?
More mocking or boasting? "

-No.
I'm thinking...
Handcuffs.
Public embarrassment.
And long prison sentences.
With Bibles and cable TV.-