A poem in honor of our president-elect:
THE TRUMP, A POEM…
By John Pavlovitz
In a land where the states are united, they claim,
In a sky-scraping tower adorned with his name,
Lived a terrible, horrible, devious chump,
The bright orange miscreant known as “The Trump”.
This Trump he was mean, such a mean little man,
With the tiniest heart and two tinier hands,
And a thin set of lips etched in permanent curl,
And a sneer and a scowl and contempt for the world.
He looked down from his perch and he grinned ear to ear,
And he thought, “I could steal the election this year!
It’d be rather simple, it’s so easily won,
I’ll just make them believe that their best days are done!
Yes, I’ll make them believe that it’s all gone to Hell,
And I’ll be “Jerk Messiah”, their souls they will sell.
And I’ll use lots of words disconnected from truth,
But I’ll say them with style so they won’t ask for proof.
I’ll toss out random platitudes, phrases, and such,
They’re so raised on fake news that it won’t matter much!
They won’t question the how to, the what, why, or when,
I will make their America great once again!”
The Trump told them to fear, they should fear he would say,
“They’ve all come for your jobs, they’ll all take them away.
You should fear every Muslim and Mexican too,
Every brown, black, and tan one, everyone who votes blue.”
And he fooled all the Christians, he fooled them indeed,
He trotted out Jesus, that’s all Jesus folk need.
And celebrity preachers all crowned him as king,
Tripping over themselves just to kiss the Trump’s ring.
And he spoke only lies just as if they were true,
Until they believed all those lies were true too.
He repeated and Tweeted and blustered and spit,
And he mislead and fibbed—and he just made up sh*t.
And the media laughed but they printed each line,
Thinking, “He’ll never win. In the end we’ll be fine.”
So they chased every headline, bold typed every claim,
‘Til the fake news and real news all looked just the same.
And the scared folk who listened, devoured each word,
Yes, they ate it all up, every word that they heard,
Petrified that their freedom was under attack,
Trusting Trump… he would take their America back.
From the gays and from ISIS, he’d take it all back,
Take it back from the Democrats, fat cats, and blacks.
And so hook, line, and sinker they all took the bait,
All his lies about making America great.
Now the Pant-suited One she was smart and prepared,
She was brilliant and steady but none of them cared,
No they cared not to see all the work that she’d done,
Or the fact they the Trump had not yet done thing one.
They could only shout “Emails!”, yes “Emails!” they’d shout,
Because Fox News had told them—and Fox News had clout.
And the Pant-suited One she was slandered no end,
And a lie became truth she could never defend.
And the Trump watched it all go according to plan—
A strong woman eclipsed by an insecure man.
And November the 8th arrived, finally it came,
Like a slow-moving storm but it came just the same.
And Tuesday became Wednesday as those days will do,
And the night turned to morning and the nightmare came true,
With millions of non-voters still in their beds,
Yes, the Trump he had done it, just like he had said.
And the Trumpers they trumped, how they trumped when he won,
All the racists and bigots; deplorable ones,
They crawled out from the woodwork, came out to raise Hell,
They came out to be hateful and hurtful as well.
With slurs and with road signs, with spray paint and Tweets,
With death threats to neighbors and taunts on the streets.
And the grossest of grossness they hurled on their peers,
While the Trump he said zilch—for the first time in years.
But he Tweeted at Hamilton Tweeted the Times,
And he trolled Alec Baldwin a few hundred times,
And he pouted a pout like a petulant kid,
Thinking this is what Presidents actually did,
Thinking he could still be a perpetual jerk,
Terrified to learn he had actually to work,
Work for every American, not just for a few,
Not just for the white ones—there was much more to do.
He now worked for the Muslims and Mexicans too,
For the brown, black, and tan ones, and the ones who vote blue.
They were all now his bosses, now they all had a say,
And those nasty pant-suited ones were here to stay.
And the Trump he soon realized that he didn’t win,
He had gotten the thing—but the thing now had him.
And it turned out the Trump was a little too late,
For America was already more than quite great,
Not because of the sameness, the opposite’s true,
It’s greatness far more than just red, white, and blue,
It’s straight, gay, and female—it’s Gentile and Jew,
It’s Transgender and Christian and Atheist too.
It’s Asians, Caucasians of every kind,
The disabled and abled, the deaf and the blind,
It’s immigrants, Muslims, and brave refugees,
It’s Liberals with bleeding hearts fixed to their sleeves.
And we are all staying, we’re staying right here,
And we’ll be the great bane of the Trump for four years.
And we’ll be twice as loud as the loudness of hate,
Be the greatness that makes our America great.
And the Trump’s loudest boasts they won’t ever obscure,
Close to three million more of us—voted for HER!

Very good. For those you who don’t know about it, Michael Ian Black’s bestselling A Child’s First Book of Trump is also in this style: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/29632243-a-child-s-first-book-of-trump
And for all my friends, hope this message and wonderful video gives you a nice Sunday smile: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u1ZB_rGFyeU
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This is great. It gives me hope. How moving. It would be if, in the spirit of Robert Frost, Maya Angelou, and other great poets, Mr. Pavlowitz could read this at the upcoming inauguration.
Something else happened last night in Philadelphia that gives me hope. My wife and I were attending the Philadelphia Orchestra concert at the Kimmel Center. The program was all French music and the main attraction was the Songs of the Auvergne by Cantaloube, performed by mezzo-soprano Susan Graham and the orchestra. When Ms. Graham was introduced she took a few moments to speak to the audience about the piece she was about to sing. It is a song cycle of nature and love poems. She explained that one of the songs was called “The Cuckoo” and she demonstrated the sound of the cuckoo which is also imitated by the orchestra in the piece. Then she added that the audience might not have heard this, but very recently scientists had discovered a rare breed of cuckoo bird that does not say “cuckoo” – this cuckoo “tweets”. There was a moment of silence, then laughter and sustained applause broke out in the audience, the orchestra and conductor joining in, and many standing. Laughter and community will ultimately undo our emperor without clothes, I am certain of it. Never, never give up, as Churchill once said.
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Brilliant
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Thank you for calling anyone who disagrees with you a racist and bigot. Exactly why Trump won.
And all that hell raising and those death threats? That was the left, making false claims of “Trump supporter” hate. Guess what. Most if not all have been proven false, done by those yelling about the hateful right. (I’ve collected links to over 20)
Many of us didn’t care for Obama and progressive politics, but we never protested, intimidated supporters or threatened to shut down or commit violence at his inauguration. The hate is from the left.
Clinton lost the election all on her own and the left can’t accept that. She was a bad candidate and ran a bad campaign. Bernie would have done better, but DNC decided no.
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“Many of us didn’t care for Obama and progressive politics, but we never protested, intimidated supporters or threatened to shut down or commit violence at his inauguration. The hate is from the left.”
Let’s see: he’s not American, the so-called tea party delusions about death panels and federal spending, guns carried openly at campaign rallies, rise in hate groups, threaten government shutdowns, a public official calling the First Lady an ape… I’m tired, anyone else want to take the baton?
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And please post reliable info about “threatened to shut down or commit violence at his inauguration.” Are you referring to the peaceful, legal, and grassroots-driven Women’s March?
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Yeh, you’re right, but I’ve about given up trying to convince the delusional Deplorables.
They will not be convinced, they have made up their minds (such as they are).
It’s like whistling into the wind to try and change their minds.
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You are right, Zorba. I honestly miss having substantive debates with conservatives. When I try to engage them, they disappear.
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A coalition of leftist causes calling itself Disrupt J20 plans a series of organizing sessions, classes, protests, and other activities aimed at disrupting Donald Trump’s inauguration as president Jan. 20.
“We’re planning to paralyze the city itself, using blockades and marches to stop traffic and even public transit.” —Disrupt J20 website
In appeals to “all people of good conscience,” Disrupt J20 seeks to bring thousands of fellow activists to Washington to join forces at American University beginning Saturday, six days before Inauguration Day.
“We’re planning a series of massive direct actions that will shut down the inauguration ceremonies and any related celebrations—the inaugural parade, the inaugural balls, you name it,” Disrupt J20 declares on its website, adding:
We’re also planning to paralyze the city itself, using blockades and marches to stop traffic and even public transit. And hey, because we like fun, we’re even going to throw some parties.
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Avan,
I didn’t know any of that.
Thanks, but I won’t be at the inauguration.
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D.R. You really haven’t heard any of this? Surprising as I’ve seen a lot of discussion about it. Everyone has a right to protest, but not to disrupt or prevent others from participating safely.
I just pray everyone stays safe.
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Avan, it’s news to me
I know there is a women’s march the next day
Trump insulted a lot of people, ran a very divisive campaign
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Avan, are these “leftist causes”, as you call them, brandishing weapons or threatening violent acts? If they’re just “blocking traffic” and inconveniencing commuters on MLK Day, when they have the day off, I have no problem with that. That’s a constitutionally protected right, not a privilege. Lemme know.
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Greg B. Does this qualify?
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When someone starts with “Thank you for calling anyone who disagrees with you a racist and bigot” you know the sneer, jeer and smear is only going to go downhill from there…
😏
And for a poem in another style that speaks to all the Trumps past, present and future—
[start]
I met a traveller from an antique land
Who said: “Two vast and trunkless legs of stone
Stand in the desert . . . Near them, on the sand,
Half sunk, a shattered visage lies, whose frown,
And wrinkled lip, and sneer of cold command,
Tell that its sculptor well those passions read
Which yet survive, stamped on these lifeless things,
The hand that mocked them, and the heart that fed:
And on the pedestal these words appear:
‘My name is Ozymandias, king of kings:
Look on my works, ye Mighty, and despair!’
Nothing beside remains. Round the decay
Of that colossal wreck, boundless and bare
The lone and level sands stretch far away.”
[end]
{OZYMANDIAS, Percy Bysshe Shelley}
😎
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I’m not happy with some things Trump said, but Hillary and Obama also said things that were devisive. It’s how politics have been since the beginning of our country. It still doesn’t give people the right to prevent others from their right to assemble or free speech.
Anyway, thank you for civil debate. Let’s hope for good times for our country AND public schools!!
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I am beyond blown away. I am humbled. Thank you, John Pavlovitz, thank you. I dare say Theodore Geisel would applaud.
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Brilliant! Even with a chuckle or two there are serious reminders of what happened on election day 2016. Agree (as usual) with the librarian: blown away by the rhythm of lines which tell the story. Thank you!
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Reblogged this on BLOGGYWOCKY and commented:
The Trumpian Dr. Seuss.
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I don’t believe I have EVER, EVER commented on any post on any blog but I have to say that this bit of prose was beyond BRILLIANT. I will do my best to make sure it goes viral, and I hope that someone comes up with an illustrated and/or animated version!
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I will not eat green eggs and ham and I will not let the grinch steal our country.
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Art, music, and poetry can transform the greed and hate. It can empower all of us because if we trust ourselves and question everything all of us–children, adults, students and children–can express ourselves. I want to share a poem with you that I wrote, Make America Again. It is currently published in the Brooklyn Rail as the cover. This is especially sent for the reader, Avan.
Make America Again
Make America again again
Make America great again
Make America write again
Make America read again
Make America land again
Make America Cherokee again
Make America smart again
Make America black powerful
Make America progressive again
Make America populist zen
Make America agrarian
Make America slaveless
Make America feminist
Make America beat again
Make America jazz again
Make America nazz again
Make America Iroquois again
Make America Paleozoic again
Make America made in America
Make America transcendentalist again
Make America abolitionist again
Make America civil disobedience again
Make America revolutionary again
Make America passive resistance again
Make America peyote button again
Make America geodesic dome again
Make America zome again
Make America roam buffalo again
Make America pop again
Make America leaves of grass
Make America Mexican brass
Make America minstrel wail
Make America utopian tale again
Make America you and me again
Make America rock-n-roll again
Make America fight the power again
Make America democratic again
Make America unpolluted again
Make America organic again
Make America hemp covered again
Make America high again
Make America levitate pentagon again
Flowers in a barrel of a gun again
Make America theosophical again
Make America pro-labor again
Make America less corporate again
Make America kind all the time
Make America rhyme again
Make America place to find again
Make America freedom again
Make America wanna be your bff again
Make America hey ho lets go again
Make America pre-code again
Make America unprisoned again
Make America take care of all again
Make America Sitting Bull again
Make America ghost dance again
Make America sun dance again
Make America earth lodge again
Make America longhouse again
Make America Mexicanity again
Make America seven drum again
Make America bird dark skies again
Make America buffalo roam again
Make America Anazasi again
Make America one who yawns again
Make America fierce Apache again
Make America again again
Make America dymaxion again
Take America to the crossroads again
Make America reinvent itself again
Make America rich again
Make America rich less rich again
Make America poor less poor again
Make America desire equality again
Make America everyone this time again
Make America try, try, try again
Make America think more
Make America work less
Make America less big cheese with keys again
Make America fewer grey flannel suits again
Make America pre-conquest again
Make America pre-Columbian again
Make America cool again
Make America citizens again
Make America holy, holy, holy, holy, holy
Make America regional international again
Make America see like Robert Frank again
Make America heartbeat street river feet
Make America look homeward spectacle
Make America get hip to tree again
Make America just be again
Make America begin again
Make America the source again
Make America reflect again, again
Make America renew deal again
Make America revisit all our pain again
Make America common sense again
Make America think again
Make America turn hoses off again
Make America grow hard cider everywhere again
Make America conscious
Make America fully present
Make America by any means necessary
Make America exploding volcano again
Make America tectonic breaks again
Make America buffalo home again
Make America bison roam on the range again
Make America great American tome again
Take America on the road again
Make America lack crack of whips again
Make America explore love metaphysical gravity
Make America promote general welfare again
Make America power to the people again
Make America invest in public works again
Make America value teachers again
Make America solve problems creatively again
Make America erase all borders again
Make America prisoners of love again
Make America ballot bullet again
Make America viva la vida
Make America one heart many heads
Make America in mothers daughters we trust
Make America redwood trees again
Make America great rivers meander again
Make America sit down strike again
Make America earth mother tribal leader again
Make America worker owned again
Make America popular democratic
Make America invest mass transit
Make America economic democracy
Make America cooperation again
Make America anarcho-syndicalist
Make America euro style libertarian
Make America owned by you and me again
Make America peoples history again
Make America books again
Make America yippie not yuppie again
Make America red and black transformation
Make America internation again
Make America multicultural again
Make America multilingual again
Make America international feel again
Make America participatory again
Make America symbiogenesis again
Make America minimalist again again again again
Make America collaboration again
Make America simply understood again
Make America complicated enlightenment again
Make America committed to struggle again
Make America study Wealth of Nations
Through critique of liberalism & division of labor
Make America crafts people in our own accord again
Make America peer closely into institutional structure
Make America see clearly dark forces again
Make America call out benign selfishness
Make America trust ourselves ask questions
Make America theory in practice again
Make America yogi versus commissar again
Make America rethink killing from a distance
Make America put down its guns
Make America examine all of its wars
Make America win little victories of justice again
Make America children citizenship ready again
Make America sit in the front of the bus again
Make America no cops killing again
Make America boycott corporate tyranny
Make America small business again
Make America anti-war again
Make America all kinds of cooperative again
Make America hair peace bed peace again
Make America imagine being a little like Canada
Make America emphasize humans over property
Make America no gun democracy
Make America remember love again
Make America get it together again
Make America work pleasure again
Make America let it be again
Make America alt left instead of right again
Make America get up off its knees again
Make America help everyone again
Make America think of reparations again
Make America less anxious to eradicate fascists
Make America rainbow colors again
Make America just say yes again
Make America black lives matter
Make America breathe again
Make America we all gonna die again
Make America forget all about it again
Make America again, again
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So well written. Perhaps this should be the speech read at the inauguration. Ugh.. I can only imagine wear he will say. Will he possibly be kind to all in his inauguration speech? Will he mention anything about the children of our country? I don’t think education was mentioned on the campaign trail at all.
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I believe Theodore Geisel would be honored!
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Brava! How true, how true!
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So sad.
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Awesome! Thank you!
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Love it!
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