Group Poem XII

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saparris
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Location: South Carolina USA

Postby saparris » Sun Apr 08, 2012 9:51 am

The Political Jungle (A Polysemous Menagerie)

The thought of party politics is difficult to bear
The asses and the elephants give everyone a scare
They carp at their opponents till the watching voters quail
And parrot useless platitudes they learned at Kent or Yale

They duck the awkward questions that their interviewers pose
Then badger other candidates with panoplies of woes
When diligent reporters ferret out their feet of clay
They monkey with the microphones and look the other way

The doves and hawks (or Wets and Dries, as Mrs. Thatcher said)
Will fish for voters everywhere (both living ones and dead)
They gull minorities with the pretence of shared ideals
While fawning over wealthy folk when making cash appeals

Ex-statesmen sell their know-how to incorporated sharks
Or weasel million-dollar fees for asinine remarks
The losers in this cut-throat game write books to settle scores
The winners play more cat and mouse behind their chamber doors
Ars longa, vita brevis

Audiendus
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Location: London, UK

Postby Audiendus » Sun Apr 08, 2012 3:40 pm

The Political Jungle (A Polysemous Menagerie)

The thought of party politics is difficult to bear
The asses and the elephants give everyone a scare
They carp at their opponents till the watching voters quail
And parrot useless platitudes they learned at Kent or Yale

They duck the awkward questions that their interviewers pose
Then badger other candidates with panoplies of woes
When diligent reporters ferret out their feet of clay
They monkey with the microphones and look the other way

The doves and hawks (or Wets and Dries, as Mrs. Thatcher said)
Will fish for voters everywhere (both living ones and dead)
They gull minorities with the pretence of shared ideals
While fawning over wealthy folk when making cash appeals

Ex-statesmen sell their know-how to incorporated sharks
Or weasel million-dollar fees for asinine remarks
The losers in this cut-throat game write books to settle scores
The winners play more cat and mouse behind their chamber doors

A few outrageous mavericks with mammoth self-regard

saparris
Wordmaster
Posts: 794
Joined: Fri Jan 22, 2010 5:33 pm
Location: South Carolina USA

Postby saparris » Sun Apr 08, 2012 9:31 pm

The Political Jungle (A Polysemous Menagerie)

The thought of party politics is difficult to bear
The asses and the elephants give everyone a scare
They carp at their opponents till the watching voters quail
And parrot useless platitudes they learned at Kent or Yale

They duck the awkward questions that their interviewers pose
Then badger other candidates with panoplies of woes
When diligent reporters ferret out their feet of clay
They monkey with the microphones and look the other way

The doves and hawks (or Wets and Dries, as Mrs. Thatcher said)
Will fish for voters everywhere (both living ones and dead)
They gull minorities with the pretence of shared ideals
While fawning over wealthy folk when making cash appeals

Ex-statesmen sell their know-how to incorporated sharks
Or weasel million-dollar fees for asinine remarks
The losers in this cut-throat game write books to settle scores
The winners play more cat and mouse behind the chamber doors

A few outrageous mavericks with mammoth self-regard
Will snake into another term—unscathed, untouched, unmarred
Ars longa, vita brevis

Audiendus
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Posts: 908
Joined: Sun Feb 14, 2010 6:08 pm
Location: London, UK

Postby Audiendus » Mon Apr 09, 2012 7:15 am

The Political Jungle (A Polysemous Menagerie)

The thought of party politics is difficult to bear
The asses and the elephants give everyone a scare
They carp at their opponents till the watching voters quail
And parrot useless platitudes they learned at Kent or Yale

They duck the awkward questions that their interviewers pose
Then badger other candidates with panoplies of woes
When diligent reporters ferret out their feet of clay
They monkey with the microphones and look the other way

The doves and hawks (or Wets and Dries, as Mrs. Thatcher said)
Will fish for voters everywhere (both living ones and dead)
They gull minorities with the pretence of shared ideals
While fawning over wealthy folk when making cash appeals

Ex-statesmen sell their know-how to incorporated sharks
Or weasel million-dollar fees for asinine remarks
The losers in this cut-throat game write books to settle scores
The winners play more cat and mouse behind the chamber doors

A few outrageous mavericks with mammoth self-regard
Will snake into another term—unscathed, untouched, unmarred
But craven types who say "aye-aye" to please their party boss

saparris
Wordmaster
Posts: 794
Joined: Fri Jan 22, 2010 5:33 pm
Location: South Carolina USA

Postby saparris » Mon Apr 09, 2012 9:25 am

The Political Jungle (A Polysemous Menagerie)

The thought of party politics is difficult to bear
The asses and the elephants give everyone a scare
They carp at their opponents till the watching voters quail
And parrot useless platitudes they learned at Kent or Yale

They duck the awkward questions that their interviewers pose
Then badger other candidates with panoplies of woes
When diligent reporters ferret out their feet of clay
They monkey with the microphones and look the other way

The doves and hawks (or Wets and Dries, as Mrs. Thatcher said)
Will fish for voters everywhere (both living ones and dead)
They gull minorities with the pretence of shared ideals
While fawning over wealthy folk when making cash appeals

Ex-statesmen sell their know-how to incorporated sharks
Or weasel million-dollar fees for asinine remarks
The losers in this cut-throat game write books to settle scores
The winners play more cat and mouse behind the chamber doors

A few outrageous mavericks with mammoth self-regard
Will snake into another term—unscathed, untouched, unmarred
But craven types who say "aye-aye" to please their party boss
Are apes du jour of justice and, inasmuch, its loss
Ars longa, vita brevis

Audiendus
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Posts: 908
Joined: Sun Feb 14, 2010 6:08 pm
Location: London, UK

Postby Audiendus » Mon Apr 09, 2012 4:22 pm

That makes 20 lines, but I think we need something to round the poem off. So I suggest a final couplet, the first line of which is given below.

The Political Jungle (A Polysemous Menagerie)

The thought of party politics is difficult to bear
The asses and the elephants give everyone a scare
They carp at their opponents till the watching voters quail
And parrot useless platitudes they learned at Kent or Yale

They duck the awkward questions that their interviewers pose
Then badger other candidates with panoplies of woes
When diligent reporters ferret out their feet of clay
They monkey with the microphones and look the other way

The doves and hawks (or Wets and Dries, as Mrs. Thatcher said)
Will fish for voters everywhere (both living ones and dead)
They gull minorities with the pretence of shared ideals
While fawning over wealthy folk when making cash appeals

Ex-statesmen sell their know-how to incorporated sharks
Or weasel million-dollar fees for asinine remarks
The losers in this cut-throat game write books to settle scores
The winners play more cat and mouse behind the chamber doors

A few outrageous mavericks with mammoth self-regard
Will snake into another term—unscathed, untouched, unmarred
But craven types who say "aye-aye" to please their party boss
Are apes du jour of justice and, inasmuch, its loss

So let us hound the rogues who blight democracy's good name

saparris
Wordmaster
Posts: 794
Joined: Fri Jan 22, 2010 5:33 pm
Location: South Carolina USA

Postby saparris » Mon Apr 09, 2012 5:00 pm

The Political Jungle (A Polysemous Menagerie)

The thought of party politics is difficult to bear
The asses and the elephants give everyone a scare
They carp at their opponents till the watching voters quail
And parrot useless platitudes they learned at Kent or Yale

They duck the awkward questions that their interviewers pose
Then badger other candidates with panoplies of woes
When diligent reporters ferret out their feet of clay
They monkey with the microphones and look the other way

The doves and hawks (or Wets and Dries, as Mrs. Thatcher said)
Will fish for voters everywhere (both living ones and dead)
They gull minorities with the pretence of shared ideals
While fawning over wealthy folk when making cash appeals

Ex-statesmen sell their know-how to incorporated sharks
Or weasel million-dollar fees for asinine remarks
The losers in this cut-throat game write books to settle scores
The winners play more cat and mouse behind the chamber doors

A few outrageous mavericks with mammoth self-regard
Will snake into another term—unscathed, untouched, unmarred
But craven types who say "aye-aye" to please their party boss
Are apes du jour of justice and, inasmuch, its loss

So let us hound the rogues who blight democracy's good name
Lest our great seals of government slide into mires of shame
Ars longa, vita brevis

Audiendus
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Joined: Sun Feb 14, 2010 6:08 pm
Location: London, UK

Postby Audiendus » Mon Apr 09, 2012 7:26 pm

Amen! :D

saparris
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Location: South Carolina USA

Postby saparris » Tue Apr 10, 2012 6:36 am

Enjoyed horsing around with this one, Audi.
Ars longa, vita brevis

Audiendus
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Location: London, UK

Postby Audiendus » Tue Apr 10, 2012 9:33 am

Thanks. By the way, what are "apes du jour"? Google reveals only one instance of this phrase.

saparris
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Location: South Carolina USA

Postby saparris » Tue Apr 10, 2012 11:17 am

I made it up to suggest the most common type of politician.
Ars longa, vita brevis

Audiendus
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Joined: Sun Feb 14, 2010 6:08 pm
Location: London, UK

apes du jour

Postby Audiendus » Tue Apr 10, 2012 12:13 pm

Interesting. A 2008 post on a website entitled "Smoking Mirrors" contains the following sentence:
It doesn't matter if these individuals [i.e. corporate leaders] have all used the same secret handshake for a thousand years or if they are just the most ruthless apes du jour, the result is the same.
Coincidence?

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Slava
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Location: Finger Lakes, NY

Postby Slava » Tue Apr 10, 2012 12:15 pm

Congratulations, Gents. Another wonderful job.

Mind if I send it to my local paper to see if they'll print it?
Life is like playing chess with chessmen who each have thoughts and feelings and motives of their own.

Perry Lassiter
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Postby Perry Lassiter » Tue Apr 10, 2012 5:33 pm

A hearty round of applause for all!
pl

Audiendus
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Joined: Sun Feb 14, 2010 6:08 pm
Location: London, UK

Postby Audiendus » Tue Apr 10, 2012 6:53 pm

Congratulations, Gents. Another wonderful job.

Mind if I send it to my local paper to see if they'll print it?
Thanks. No problem. 8)


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