With gratitude to Barney Franks, who was willing to speak the truth to crazy, and to Mal Beck, who fearlessly posts poems on Open Salon.


OH MY GOD, HE’S GOT A GUN!

Panic, everybody!  Run!
Or maybe not.  Maybe we
have had enough of thuggery.

Bring a gun to a debate
and show how well your theses rate
for substance, logic, common sense:
The one who blusters seldom wins.

What parent hasn’t faced a child
shrieking, hysterical, and wild:
“This time you’ll see!  I just don’t care!
You’re just a tyrant!  It isn’t fair!”

Children can be dangerous,
but better to disdain the fuss,
no matter how they rave and rant.
They have no power we don’t grant.

Let them threaten, bully, plead,
but we’re not cattle, won’t stampede,
or quiver at lunatic insults.
Like it or not, we’re the adults.