Tuesday, October 19, 2010

Good poems for hard times (3,4)

The State of the Economy
Louis Jenkins

There might be some change on top of the dresser at the back, and
we should check the washer and the dryer. Check under the floor
mats of the car. The couch cushions. I have some books and CDs
I could sell, and there are a couple of big bags of aluminum cans in
the basement, only trouble is that there isn't enough gas in the car
to get around the block. I'm expecting a check sometime next
week, which, if we are careful, will get us through to payday. In
the meantime with your one-dollar rebate check and a few coins
we have enough to walk to the store and buy a quart of milk and a
newspaper. On second thought, forget the newspaper.

the con job
Charles Bukowski

the ground war began today
at dawn
in a desert land
far from here.
the U.S. ground troops were
largely
made up of
Blacks, Mexicans and poor
whites
most of whom had joined
the military
because it was the only job
they could find.

the ground war began today
at dawn
in a desert land
far from here
and the Blacks, Mexicans
and poor whites
were sent there
to fight and win
as on tv
and on the radio
the fat white rich newscasters
first told us all about
it
and then the fat rich white
analysts
told us
why
again
and again
and again
on almost every
tv and radio station
almost every minute
day and night
because
the Blacks, Mexicans
and poor whites
were sent there
to fight and win
at dawn
in a desert land
far enough away from
here.

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