Showing posts with label politics. Show all posts
Showing posts with label politics. Show all posts

Thursday, December 15, 2016

Draining the swamp of all human decency

In New Zealand
We love our wetlands
They're beautiful places
Rich habitats
Vital to environmental and human well-being

I've heard you're draining yours -
"What of?"
I asked,
And the answer seems to be
"Of all human decency"

*
Where once the bullfrogs croaked
And the blue herons soaked
And the land was buffered from the sea
Now
there's nothing in sight
not a bird in flight
just oil
as far as the eye can...

...look out
upon the desolation
of a once fair
land.

*
Yes, you heard me,
you're draining your swamp
of all human decency
and replacing it with
nothing but snake oil
and swamp monsters
grinning through their golden teeth

and pretending they can hold back the tide.

A.J. Ponder

PS: Release the kraken. :) 
PPS if you liked this poem, you may also enjoy:


I was particularly impressed with Senator Warren when she stood up to the drug companies. Her fight was my fight. For although drug regulation in America is so far away, it has had a detrimental effect all over the world. She did so, despite the bad optics, because the cause was just and right, and the consequences of failing will not only haunt America, but all the countries that through the FDA's influence allow America's drug industry to influence treatments.


 #globalwarming #kraken #swamp #swampmonsters #golden #tide #oil #snakeoil #drug


Tuesday, August 2, 2011

Robbin' Hood Meets the Land of Free Speech

Hood Robbers - Hood Robbin'
They took from the poor
And they gave to the rich
Sold everyone's rights
Then fed us a pitch

So now we eat slogans
With clay for our bed
And watch the sky glowing
far over our heads

Hood Robbers - Hood Robbin'
'cause money is power
And money is speech
But I've got no money

So-



Unfortunately American Politics has been rather big news this week.  And maybe I'd be almost as oblivious of it all if it wasn't for a certain program - (turns to camera) Damn You Colbert!  So what's new?  Politics, power and corruption are a world-wide phenomenon.  Of course, like NZ Americans have free speech and equal rights but it seems "some people are more equal than others".  Here Colbert explains how corporations' free speech is infringed, so I guess its lucky a certain decision went their way.

Here in little old NZ I don't think many people believe such a thing could never happen after all money and politics is relatively closely regulated, but we are buffeted by what is happening overseas.  And of course our system isn't perfect - which is why NZ, we need our own political comedy.  How else am I expected to have any idea about what is happening in the outside world?  After all the news is too depressing, and parliament is enough to induce catatonia. Besides, surely in this economic climate laughter is the best medicine :)


More poems can be found here at the rather awesome Tuesday Poem Blog. This week's poem is Wild Bees by John Griffin, but wait there's more, visit the side bar to the right to find the blogs of many wonderful NZ poets and authors.  Enjoy

A.J. Ponder's work is available through Rona Gallery, Amazon, and good Wellington bookstores