Last Stop

TARP:
Nothing left to doubt about
Who is running the country.
Paul Winchell is dead;
Doodeyville is laid to ruins;
Lassie won't be coming home today and
The road to Walton Mountain has been closed.
Father may know best, but
Altruism is no match for greed.

Edited 3 time(s). Last edit at 02/28/2010 06:56PM by hpesoj.

Great closing line, Joe, and a pretty apt description of who we as a nation have become.

Les

It is up to us to change this, though, isn't it? I like the poem, Joseph.

Peter

Les:

I'm not sure how "poetic" the last line is, but I am glad you liked it. Thanks for reading and commenting.

Peter:

It is up to us to change it and each of us can make a difference in our own worlds; but the difference is so small in comparison to the problem, that it really won't have much of an impact. That's pessimistic, I know, but I'm becoming overwhelmed by the complete lack of regard for individual desires and needs shown by banks and big business.

Thanks for reading and commenting.

Joe

Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 02/02/2022 05:19PM by hpesoj.

Hey Joe,

I'm a firm believer in horizons and threshholds...that is, that in critical timesasmall difference can have enormous consequences, regardless of the odd. This happens in both positive and negatives ways, so I don't think it unwarranted optimism, just a part of the unpredictability of what comes next.

amo,

Peter

Yeah, Peter, I now know what you mean. My 14 month-old granddaughter ran into my arms today and said "I love you Papa Joe" for the first time. Funny how my pessimism vanished at that exact moment. Thanks for the advice.

Joe

Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 02/28/2010 11:43AM by hpesoj.

I've modified the original at the urging of a friend who suggested that I "flesh out" the poem a bit more. I'm not sure it was worth the effort because I wasn't overly fond of it from the start. It was just something that more or less wrote itself while I was in one of my more cynical moods. At any rate, here it is along with the original.

Joe

Last Stop (Revised)

AIG
BOA
PNB
TARP:
No doubt now about who's in charge.
The innocence of the 50s is gone
Tarnish stains the Golden Rule
Paul Winchell is dead;
Doodeyville is laid to ruins;
Lassie won't be coming home today and
The road to Walton Mountain is now closed.
Father may have known best, but
Altruism is no match for greed.



Last Stop (Original)

TARP:
Nothing left to doubt about
Who is running the country.
Paul Winchell is dead;
Doodeyville is laid to ruins;
Lassie won't be coming home today and
The road to Walton Mountain has been closed.
Father may know best, but
Altruism is no match for greed.

I concur Peter, though it's probably been true since Teddy was in office.

Les