MAP
#157-1 Theme: Election Day
1.
At The Convention by Deena Hardin
At
the convention,
the
radio proudly announces,
a
committee has been called-
a
committee to study something important,
to
cause important changes-
a
committee made up of the common man:
social
worker, teacher's aid, AIDS case worker.
Workers.
None
of these people earn
enough
money to be important,
to
study important things,
to
cause important changes.
At
the convention,
the
radio proudly announces
one
of politics' great myths.
©
Deena Hardin
2.
One Man, One Vote Blues by Xennia Gittoes-Singh
Ron
Reagan was elected President
before
I got to vote
yes
. . . this was in California
no
. . . all of us ain’t dopes
I
should have gotten to the polls earlier
however
my job got in the way
I
just can’t seem to cancel my bills
if
I don’t work for pay
there’s
no way that I wouldn’t go
I
couldn’t be a no show
too
many ancestors fought and died
for
me to stay at home and hide
so
I pulled into the polling place
the
church lights brightened my face
when
I heard the announcement on the radio,
Ron
Reagun is President, I said “oh no, should I go
this
can’t be true
how
can this be
how
could America decide this
without
me
the
polls weren’t closed
in
California yet
can’t
we get our ballots in the boxes
before
you leaders start cashing in your bets
is
this a democracy
what
happened to one man one vote
are
we speakin’ the same language here or
did
I just get off a spaceship or boat
and
this electoral college thing
which
,really sweeties, no one understands
does
it let you tell voters before the polls are closed
that
Ron Reagun is their elected man?
so
I went into the polling site
seething
and mad as hell
announcing
loudly so that all could hear
something
in our government smells
pinch
me but aren’t you voters right here
preparing
to cast your ballots just like me
why
is Ron Reagun grinning and
announcing
he is President, on TV
now
here comes Bush Jr.
with
quazillions in his treasure chest
he
bought himself an election, baby
money,
honey beats all the rest
for
no matter how hard
his
opponents may run
we
all know for Bush Jr.
this
race has been won
now
don’t you dare say
that
I am crass, cynical or snide
if
this election process really worked
it
would fill me with so much pride
please
read my lips, I must reiterate
you
see it’s just no joke
Ron
Reagun was elected President
before
I got to vote
©
2000 Xennia Gittoes- Singh
3.
Love America - Vote! By Ingeborg Carsten-Miller
Come
on, you all,
you,
People of this Country,
use
this your power
to
build anew - undo the wrong
if
wrong you see.
Come
on, you all,
you
, People of this Country.
What
wrong there is
is
yours from another day.
You
put it there.
Come
on, you all,
you,
People of this Country,
Take
hold of it,
of
all your rights.
The
future is your own decision.
Come
on, you all,
People
of this Country:
It
is your future and your children's.
You
are so fortunate.
Love
America - vote!
©
Ingeborg Carsten-Miller (from INGEBORG AT L'ENFANT PLAZA)
4.
First Tuesday in November by Hilbert H. Turner, Jr.
From
where I am I see
No
police dogs or fire hoses
No
poll tax or grandfather clause
No
sheriffs standing tall with shotguns
No
hooded horsemen with torches
No
corpses in earthen dams
No
physical obstacle other than distance
What
excuse do I really have not to vote?
©
Hilbert Turner, Jr.
5.
Gum Control by Jimmy Jazz
Down
with the GOP
Down
with the GOP
A
parking lot
(across
the street & down 3 blocks from the San Diego convention center)
has
been
set
aside for protesters
of
the republican national convention
sounds
so planned
and
canned--like ready to be filmed,
like
“You can protest here in front of this brick wall, if the guys with
rifles
bother you, blindfolds will be provided,
and
cigarettes compliments of
Phillip-Morris,
Any
Last
Meal
requests
are at this time denied
due
to funding cuts in the head start program.
All
protesters will take buses to the parking lot
(as
not to stop up traffic)
No
flash photography
Conspicuous
port-a-potties will be provided
No
gum chewing
as
problems at past protests
have
stemmed from irresponsible gum owners
this
gum control
will
not be part of the official GOP platform
as
Bazooka lobbyists
donate
too much money.
©
2000 Jimmy Jazz
6.
Flower Petals Lay At Your Feet by LeVan Hawkins
I
have tried to defend your behavior
But
the truth is you've disappointed me.
You
were the pied piper leading budding youths on a mission.
Your
words were sunshine, a soothing glow on our faces.
Mother
warned me to trust no man -
Only
God.
Still,
I believed.
Still,
I trusted.
Still,
I followed.
I
didn't realize that you were Blanche DuBois acting out your neurotic
fantasies-
Holding
the world up to standards you yourself couldn't keep.
I,
too, have depended upon the kindness of strangers
I
would have understood had you told me your declarations were merely
affirmations
And
that you were on the long, long road to recovery.
Instead
you gave me sunshine and I bloomed magnificently -
I
believed. I trusted. I followed.
I
joined the others and waited eagerly for that light with so much
promise.
It
never came.
Flowers
need nourishment -
You
fed us cynicism and disguised it as compromise.
Flowers
need sunshine -
You
left us in darkness.
You
plucked us from the vine and used us as a centerpiece.
You
held our delicate blooms roughly in your hands
And
now -
Flower
petals lay at your feet.
They
are not the remnants of a wonderful life.
They
are ashes from dead dreams.
They
are memories of innocent voices stilled.
You
will take a broom and send us away.
But
our trusting faces will haunt you
Until
your dying day.
©
LeVan D. Hawkins
7.
untitled by Sharla Clos
Many
will come today
to
vote America's fate
and
whether for four or for eight
many
will have come far too late
And
many will claim
if
only I would have known
what
was yet to come
if
I would not have been blinded
by
the two party vote
if
I could have seen
then
I could still dream
But
now all are jailed
by
the fate of the chosen few
having
had selected from only one or two
when
their choices yet were many
those
silenced in debate
to
keep truths secret
to
keep alive hate
For
many have returned with answers to questions
in
that some religions aren't religions
in
that women have no right to choose murder
others
say we won't go to war
but
we need to be ready when it comes
so
we shall continue shopping and supplying
arms
and guns
So
where is the freedom in this land of the free
if
all the Candidates we can not see
what
has happened to Freedom of Speech
when
justice is silenced
and
jokes are all that prevail
in
the way of candidates
Yes,
these are hard times for us all and
soon
too we will see
that
no matter which one should win
we
are the ones who will lose in the end
in
this home of the brave and the land of
the
free.
©
Sharla Clos
8.
Election Night Flashback by Dancing Bear
She
sits behinds you in the back seat
and
plays with a flap of loose upholstery
as
you tell her you're sorry, but it's for the best.
You're
a drunk and a discontented rich-boy
who's
only known how to spend daddy's money
on
fast highs. You explain as she sobs
and
stares out the window through another Texas
night
speeding by, how she's not to talk to anyone
about
it or your father will cut you off.
Crossing
fingers you hold the steering wheel and
pray
she appreciates the extra padding in the envelope.
You
don't love her, but you go with her to make sure
she
doesn't chicken-out-- that the job gets done.
The
doctor's an old friend of the family; he knows
the
value of discretion. You may be a drunk,
but
you believe _political_ suicide is a bigger sin.
You
can't marry a girl who out-snorts you,
out-drinks
you, yet doesn't take the pill.
She's
doesn't know from pillbox hats, couldn't
carry
YSL, looks terrible in pink, and gray.
She's
not First Lady material.
©
Dancing Bear
9.
People's Choice by Stazja
Election
day.
A
politician strolls
with
henchmen at
a
polling place,
mingling
with the masses
when
a prophet passes,
on
his way to greener pastures.
"Penny
for your thoughts?"
the
politician asks,
shiny
copper Lincoln penny,
emblem
of an honest man,
offered
by a glad hand,
charisma
on parade.
The
prophet shields his eyes
from
blinding flash of
camera-ready
campaign smile,
answers,
"Sir, I am
the
people's voice.
My
thoughts are free,
they
don't concern
the
'people's choice,'"
and
walks away.
Cloying
lackey hurries
to
the politician's aid,
assures
him not to worry,
nothing
free is
worth
a penny
anyway.
©
1997 stazja