The Tradeoff

 RANDOM JACK POETRY HOUR: AMERICAN DEMOCRACY

The Tradeoff

 

Politics is the art of negotiation

For every initiative there is a price

If you want order surrender freedom

If you want pasta give up some rice

 

The protesters in Chicago

Want a ceasefire yesterday

They do not seem to understand

There will be a price to pay

 

Cut off funding to Israel today

Ukraine will lose funding tomorrow

Is that a cost you’re willing to pay?

Ukraine in perpetual sorrow

 

If you set the convention on fire

You might exact a few concessions

But if your efforts turn out dire

You may learn a chilling lesson

 

Remember who your enemy is

He wears an extremely long red tie

If your purpose aligns with his

Soon enough you will wonder why

 

(on the eve of the DNC in Chicago)