Pat Jacobs

The Artifice of Politics

I wanted to be the new governor….at least I was going to try
So  “come into my parlor said the spider to the fly”…..
I opened the door to her office, she turned and smiled sweetly at me
I had come to learn the political ropes, to listen and sit at her knee
I looked quietly all around me, from the ceiling to the floor
The walls were lined with dollars, as I entered thru the door

Well, PJ, how nice to see you.  I’m glad they sent you our way
Have a seat and I’ll explain to you, what you really must know today.
All our politicians are bought and paid for and they definitely do as they’re told
No independent thinkers need apply here, we own you body and soul.
You see there is a technique to politics, and we rule by the strength of our purse.
The people are too supid to take care of themselves and our candidates could do much worse.

We’re running young Yancy in Texas. He’s well qualified you see.
He’s dumb as a doorknob but up to the big job, and a wonderful Senator he’ll be.
Sally Sooner is over in Maine, tied to our purse strings real tight.
She can’t spell her name, but she plays a good game, and in Congress will certainly do right. (wink,wink)
There’s Jeff Jones in South Dakota.  We’ve written him such a big check.
We tell him each day, just what he should say, soon we’ll just guide him around by the neck.
And let’s not forget Mary Moore, an unconscionable gothamist is she. With each dime we give her, she swims the government river, and sends back the dollars to me.

See, a well funded campaign is necessary, and this is no artful ruse.
Money is the mother’s milk of politics. A milk mouthed candidate is  one we can use.
We don’t want to run a clear thinker or we certainly won’t pay for a thing
Our money goes to the most puckered up who knows how to just kiss the ring.

Ah yes, the artifice of politics – what a wonderful game we play.
We put our big money in and take out the spoils, fooling voter by voter each day.
And, new candidate, she said with a smile, how may I help you?

©copyright 2016 P.D. Jacobs

Pat Jacobs is a Washington, DC based poet and storyteller, former lawyer, and mother of three, who enjoys people-watching and diverse aesthetic pursuits.