In defense of White House poetry

Posted on May 14th, 2009 by Kelly Conaboy

Words can change the world. My words, for example, have had a ripple effect that has altered the course of not only my readers’ lives, but the lives of everyone around them, and everyone around those people, and everyone around those people. On Tuesday, May 12th, the White House held a poetry jam to illustrate this idea. “We’re here to celebrate the power of words and music to help us appreciate beauty and also to understand pain,” announced President Obama at some point during the event. Of course this begs the question, could Obama be aided by the power of poetry in expressing his ideas and opinions? Short answer: Yes. Long answer…

Detainee Abuse Limerick

There once were photos of abuse
Their release would lead to misuse
So give it a rest
I’m doing my best
Nothing positive would they produce

Healthcare Paradelle

This is the year, reform will arrive
This is the year, reform will arrive
Escalating healthcare costs bring debt and deficit
Escalating healthcare costs bring debt and deficit
Cost reform is debt and deficit
With this healthcare the year will arrive, escalating

Our current system is broken and old
Our current system is broken and old
With your help, we can fix it
With your help, we can fix it
Fix our broken system and help it, we can
Old is with your current

Special-interest lobbying is a cancerous practice
Special-interest lobbying is a cancerous practice
We will bring the legislation to the House by July
We will bring the legislation to the House by July
To will, lobbying by July is a practice
The House bring cancerous special-interest, we, legislation

This year we will bring a fix to broken healthcare
We can help, by July, to bring reform to the house
Debt and deficit, our current system, is cancerous
Lobbying is escalating costs, special-interest is old
With the practice, your will, and it
The legislation will arrive

Wanda Sykes Haiku

I smil’d at her joke
I was just being polite
Now, back to real things

environment ee cummings poem

life is
s u f f o c a t i n g
under us (we cannot live if not for Death
we drown in slick black

ask
yourself “why is this
just this”
i awake each morning wondering what you can imagine
i
   awake
   wondering
what you can imagine
we are tied like dogs to the Past, choices have been made
for us)
i awake each morning wondering why the black from which I have awoken
consumes me
still
i
   awake
   wondering
why the black from which I have awoken
consumes me
still

God, that’s good. Clearly the use of poetry could help naysayers both appreciate and understand Barack’s beliefs on these and many other issues. If you want to use these poems, Barack, feel free. They’re beautiful. Consider them yours. Also, I understand that you have yet to appoint a staff poetry writer. It’s getting a little late on that one. Just let me know.

Kelly Conaboy Saves the World appears every Thursday.