poem, after a while without
from the wonderful tony hoagland. who writes verse with the humor and readability of billy collins, but it is generally served up on the page with a bit more bite. also, he's one of the few poets i know who writes successful political poetry: not too whiny, not too cynical. critical, but with a dash of playfulness, which makes the whole experience!
Operations
In autumn, Operation Enduring Freedom commenced,
which some party-poopers wanted to nickname Operation
Infinite Self-Indulgence.
We tied flags to the antennae of our cars
that snapped like fire when we drove.
In winter there was Operation Gentle Sledgehammer,
which seemed linguistically a little underdigested,
but we lined up squads of second-graders
to stand at attention while we beat a drum.
Let me make it clear that I was
as doubtful as anyone about Operation Racial Provocation
but I loved Operation Religious Suspicion,
which led to Operation Eye For An Eye,
which was succeeded by Operation Helping Hand;
-Let me tell you that was a scary-looking hand!
But that was also a very successful Operation.
Someday you will be required to perform a terrible deed
in order to save yourself,
but save yourself for what?
That would be a question for Operation
Self-Examination to answer,
which is a very painful operation
performed without anesthesia
in a naked room full of shadows and light.
Perhaps I might suggest, instead,
Operation Self-Medication, or Operation Endless Mindless Distraction?
In the meantime Operation Collateral Amnesia
is proceeding very smoothly
When it is over we want to call it Operation One Big Happy
Family-
Is that okay with you?
Operations
In autumn, Operation Enduring Freedom commenced,
which some party-poopers wanted to nickname Operation
Infinite Self-Indulgence.
We tied flags to the antennae of our cars
that snapped like fire when we drove.
In winter there was Operation Gentle Sledgehammer,
which seemed linguistically a little underdigested,
but we lined up squads of second-graders
to stand at attention while we beat a drum.
Let me make it clear that I was
as doubtful as anyone about Operation Racial Provocation
but I loved Operation Religious Suspicion,
which led to Operation Eye For An Eye,
which was succeeded by Operation Helping Hand;
-Let me tell you that was a scary-looking hand!
But that was also a very successful Operation.
Someday you will be required to perform a terrible deed
in order to save yourself,
but save yourself for what?
That would be a question for Operation
Self-Examination to answer,
which is a very painful operation
performed without anesthesia
in a naked room full of shadows and light.
Perhaps I might suggest, instead,
Operation Self-Medication, or Operation Endless Mindless Distraction?
In the meantime Operation Collateral Amnesia
is proceeding very smoothly
When it is over we want to call it Operation One Big Happy
Family-
Is that okay with you?