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the old political poets don’t read much anymore
content to scan the pages of major
literary journals, looking for their
names in print, their books reviewed
the old poets borrow lines from
their contemporaries, but only
when suffering writers block
the old poets no longer have
mother Russia to comfort them
the old poets have no parties to join
no Red Guard to march with
no parade to goose step too
the old poets sprinkle wheat germ
on their cereal and drink only
bottled water
the old poets forsake salt with
meals and take pride in the
little known fact that an average
spill of semen contains less than
twenty-five calories
the old poets have no causes
left to die for
no motherland to call their own
the old poets have turned in
their bombs and union cards
for chump change and social security
the old poets are tired
like Atlas they have learned the hard way
you can’t carry the world on your shoulders
the old poets see life through
Dante’s eyes
no longer able to distinguish
truth from lies
the old poets traded in
their party cards for government grants
and a shot at making GAP commercials
the old poets have sold out their dreams
realizing that suffering is overrated
the old poets have quit writing political poems
no longer carry Nietzsche inside
their head
the old poets ride the
poetry circuit pony express
grabbing for the gold ring
all too willing to sell themselves
for a lottery chance at fame