Poetry Magazine, Frank Anthony, April 2002

Poetry Magazine

Frank Anthony

USA

Those Walmart 300
Chinese Factories

You think you are so well off with your social security
and that steady little job stacking groceries, at the
new Walmart. About your night dream:

The water on the old lower pasture, frozen, is an ideal place to sled, even
though you look like a windmill
as you try to walk, kids will appreciate it.

Show them how to fix higher ground, smooth a rough place
with a shovel, they can slide here all day, while you
and I take a trip to the bank.

Banks, a good stock in your portfolio, those Enron phony
deals, out of foreign countries, and George himself
scooped up corporate treasure for all of US.

Why are some so greedy? Look at the sheets of hundred
dollar bills you get now, like postage stamps,
no end to all the money here!

Wake up to some organic oatmeal and fresh blueberries,
genetically engineered vegetables and funny, crack
fish next year with dioxin in that new car.

Being Thus Reactionary

How is new man working
out without my machine
The caged bird singing
is broke so grows mean
Two million need a job
I need a single reason
like watch needs a fob
for another old season
Cook up something neat
that works from within
We gotta keep our seat
do not worry about sin
Terrorist Economy Work
A Republican Knee Jerk

EXPLICATION: First in the Hearts of His Countrymen :
A hundred years ago, almost to the day, the greenest President in this country, opened our global can of worms-not related to the historic Diet of Worms. It was a New World Order type of economy: Starting wars, like brush fires and putting them out again. Needless to say he became a hero. Antisocial, to the point of pathological, this famous Republican preferred his ranch to Washington. A true-blue American cowboy, his Rough Riders made their own law and order. He had a passion to annex all countries bordering America: The first US king with solid brass ego.