RANDOM JACK POETRY HOUR: WORLD AFFAIRS
Goodbye Angela Farewell
For sixteen years she reigned
Over Europe from Berlin
The birthing of the union
The collapse of the banks
Debt and austerity
The never-ending war on terror
The rise of the Islamic State
Russian aggression
The climate crisis
The great migration
The reactionary right
The rise of the autocrats
Brexit and the British clown
The American void
The global pandemic
History will record
Through the trials and tribulations
Of the most challenging times
In the post-industrial age
Angela Merkel held steady
While others faltered
History will record
The European Union owes its existence
To Merkel’s strength and diplomacy
For sixteen of the most critical years
For human civilization on earth
Merkel filled the gaping hole
That America and Britain left wanting
The iron woman of Berlin
Stood up to the Russian beast
When the American president demurred
Stood up to the white nationalist threat
When the American president
Gave it praise and encouragement
We did not agree with austerity
We did not agree on many policies
But on the whole we admired you
And in the end we thank you
Where would we be without you?
Goodbye Angela fare well
