Don't Give Up!

 RANDOM JACK POETRY HOUR: RUSSIA

Don’t Give Up (for Navalny)

 

They gathered in the heart of winter

In the belly of the beast

Knowing they could lose their lives

Knowing they could lose their freedom

Knowing they could lose their jobs …

They gathered to say goodbye

 

The martyr would have approved

In the event of his death he said:

It’s simple. Don’t give up!

It’s simple. Don’t give in.

The monster is afraid of them

Why else would he murder him?

Why else grant his martyrdom?

 

If everything is fine behind the curtain

If everything is under control

If the people are truly satisfied

If the people are content

If the people understand the war

If the people want oppression

If the people do not want their rights

If the people love their leader

Why is he afraid?

 

He is afraid the people love Navalny

He is afraid their love for him is false

He is afraid they see through his lies

He’s afraid they are not happy

He’s afraid of the martyr’s widow

He’s afraid of Navalny’s followers

He’s afraid they will rise

He’s afraid they will not give up

He’s afraid they won’t give in

Worse than Buchanan

 RANDOM JACK POETRY HOUR: AMERICAN DEMOCRACY

Worse than Buchanan

 

Worse than Buchanan

Worse than Franklin Pierce

His defenders were none

His opposition remained fierce

 

Buchanan, Pierce and Fillmore

Paved the road to Civil War

As colossal failures to the union

You could hardly ask for more

 

Historians know the value

Of a president’s true worth

They chose our number 45

As the nation’s very worst

 

He betrayed our democracy

He failed to build his wall

He divided all Americans

As he fulfilled treason’s call

 

His followers stand by him

Despite his fatal flaws

His ego and his ignorance

His defiance of the law

 

No one could be worse than him

He’s as bad as it gets

Will the nation have him back again?

Who knows? Place your bets

 

Dissatisfied and Angry

RANDOM JACK POETRY HOUR: AMERICAN DEMOCRACY

 

Dissatisfied and Angry

 

If you ask them how they are

And how they expect to be

They’ll tell you that they’re fine

But they’re dissatisfied and angry

 

It doesn’t matter how they feel

It doesn’t matter what they think

The last election was a steal

They don’t like the color pink

 

Joe Biden is just too old

Their man is older too

But their old man is angrier

And angrier will do

 

Don’t tell them they are wrong

Don’t tell them they are fools

They’ll just sing a country song

And they never liked the schools

 

They’re dissatisfied and angry

Like almost all their friends

This time if there’s enough of them

Our democracy may end

 

Teaching True History

 RANDOM JACK POETRY HOUR: TRUE HISTORY

Teaching True History

 

In Carolina the Underground Railroad

Was a smuggling operation

In Florida slavery was job training

In Alabama the Civil War was fought

Over economic differences

In Mississippi (goddamn) Strange Fruit

Were Kiwis and Kumquats

In Tennessee the Trail has no Tears

In Oklahoma Tulsa has no ghosts

In Texas the Rangers never killed Mexicans

In North Dakota Wounded Knee was a battle

In California we teach the truth

We didn’t always but we do now

 

If a child does not know where he came

From she will not know where to go

If a child does not know true history

He will not be prepared for the world

If a child is raised on mythology as if

It were the truth that child is condemned

To a future of disappointment

 

You cannot hide the truth forever

You can ban books but you cannot banish reading

You can bend facts but you cannot revise the truth

When you lie to your children over and

Over you guarantee disenchantment

And you will never win their trust

 

Teach your children the truth or

They will grow to resent you

And they will be right

 

Neo Nazis in Nashville

 RANDOM JACK POETRY HOUR: AMERICAN DEMOCRACY

Neo Nazis in Nashville

 

Nashville is a city of music

A city of diversity

A city that embraces art and artists

A city that opens her arms to

To troubadours and vagabonds

Who want a better life

A city that welcomes the dreamers

And the dream

 

The city of music must hang

Her head in shame

As neo-Nazi white supremacists

Boldly march her streets

With chants of blatant bigotry

With chants of racial prejudice

Jews will not replace us!

Make America white again!

 

Will the city leaders find the courage

To denounce them one and all

Will the public office holders condemn

Them in bold and certain terms

Or will the nation’s patriots be

Forced to take reciprocal action

Boycott Nashville!

Boycott the city of music

Until she recognizes the truth and

Value of her diversity