Stop the War!

 RANDOM JACK POETRY HOUR: ISRAEL AT WAR

Stop the War (Letter to Biden)

 

Mister President

You are still the president

As Netanyahu expands the war

With his attacks on Lebanon

With his threats against Iran

You are the only one on earth

Who can stop this madness

You have the key to Israeli power

Though you have sworn not to use it

Netanyahu is taunting you

Daring you to act

He does not believe you will do it

He’s got you in a vice

How long can this go on?

How far can he push you?

In the name of peace

In the name of justice

Withhold funding for Israel

Withhold weapons and military aid

Do it in small increments

Then larger and larger still

Secure the remaining hostages

Secure the Israeli people

Secure Palestine a future

By removing Netanyahu from

His place of ultimate power

You will pave the road to peace

It will take political courage

It will involve risk

But there is no other way

 

The Crypto King

 RANDOM JACK POETRY HOUR: TRUMP DAZE

The Crypto King

 

The con of all cons

Like an Edsel with wings

Let’s hear it for the Don!

The crypto currency king

 

He sold us the golden shoes

Trading cards and magic rings

How can we ever lose?

He’s the crypto currency king

 

He’s lost more money than anyone

He’s run a thousand stings

He’ll pass it all to his elder son

The new crypto currency king

 

Crypto is the king of cons

It’s a currency for crooks

Let’s give it up to the Don

And open up his books

 

He’ll take your hard-earned cash

He’ll do a dance and sing

He’ll put the proceeds in his stash

He’s the crypto currency king

(Trump starts a new crypto currency.)

 

The Price of Freedom

 RANDOM JACK POETRY HOUR: WORLD DEMOCRACY

The Price of Freedom

 

In El Salvador they have no freedom

They traded it for order

Not long ago gangs ruled the streets

Drugs and human trafficking

Freely crossed the border

Murder rape and mayhem

The people fled in droves

Escaping a state of anarchy

To where nobody knows

 

They elected a hardnosed autocrat

On a promise of establishing law

He eliminated the opposition

Replaced justices with his own

He cracked down on honest journalists

Denied the right to protest

Free speech and the right to assemble

Imprisoned gangs without a trial

 

Nayib Bukele is no friend to democracy

But he kept his solemn promise

A land of chaos became a land of order

People are safer within their border

They may live without fear

 

There is a lesson and a warning here

For all democratic nations

When the people are not safe

When the police are on the take

When the government is corrupt

When there is no sense of hope

The people will sacrifice their freedom

They will abandon democracy

And democracy, once sacrificed

Is not easily returned

 

Casualties of Culture

 RANDOM JACK POETRY HOUR: GUN CONTROL

Casualties of Culture

 

How many dead?  How many wounded?

That’s all we want to know

How many dead?  How many wounded?

Our sense of helplessness grows

 

What if you knew them?

What if your child was dead?

Would you still say the pledge?

Would you still vote red?

 

We kill more people than any other nation

With our guns and our right to arms

We shed more tears for the innocent

With our guns we do more harm

 

We have been here many times before

And we have rarely taken action

For the countless victims of gun violence

There is no satisfaction

 

They wring their hands and say their prayers

They will hang their heads in mourning

They will act as if they really care

We will let that serve as warning

 

Nothing ever changes unless we vote

For change.

 

They Kill Their Own

 RANDOM JACK POETRY HOUR: ISRAEL/GAZA

They Kill Their Own

 

In the battle against hypocrisy

No one should stand alone

The solemn truth about Hamas:

Sadly, they kill their own

 

Palestinians who make a choice

Not to take either side

Netanyahu nor Hamas

Neither one can we abide

 

They find themselves in danger

In the streets and in their homes

The IDF will kill them anywhere

But Hamas will kill their own

 

We pray for peace and soon

So much heartbreak to atone

But there can be no mercy

For those who kill their own

 

There are crimes against humanity

There are crimes that are unknown

But there are no greater crimes

Than the killing of your own