The Pillage Hangman - Parody LONGFELLOW - The Village Blacksmith
Under the heading ‘Sentence Just’
the spreading news informed
the sceptics, partisans, non plussed,
that past are Desert Storms
as dust to dust returns – which warmed
hearts though Bagdad’s gone bust.
Fair trial spun to election eve
fell on deaf ears for most, -
who fooled was, and who would deceive,
writ up by Fox, Times, Post.
Will Sauron Saddam’s idle boast
lie still with few to grieve?
Two lawyers for defence before
their leader met their fate,
but Justice, blind, the clothing tore
from strangers at the gate –
No mercy to anticipate -
- the same make, break the law.
Under a leafless green zone tree
the curdled hangman stands
the Kurd, a narrow man is he,
with Halliburton hands;
his captive's Chaineyed iron bands,
prey oily policy. Five times a day, on Friday, pray,
lost leader homes destroyed,
his motto - ‘bag a dad a day’ -
he honestly enjoyed.
The next in line – he who employed
our hangman of today?
It sounds to him his mother's voice,
singing in Paradise
inspires jihad - the gravest choice
is spurred by need for rice, -
no tears, don’t think about it twice -
crossed keyword calls … rejoice!
The gibbet like the tree itself
was built from root to crown
by contract – golden handshake pelf
for 'count…Tree' Root and Brown.
Soon both unChaineyed tumbling down
will fall from well oiled shelf.
The Bushy hair once crisp, and black,
turns grey, his Texas tan,
his brow, flow wet with nervous sweat,
he steals whate’er he can.
All bet his life span also ran -
regrets may clan beget. Though Florida's election tags
nudged Bush ahead, his lies
came home to roost in body bags -
eight thousand sightless eyes -
no Gore, yet gore, rags, mo[u]rning cries!
the irony: time lags.
Weak kneed, needs strong, from morn till night,
one hears from minaret
the call resound, unsound ‘tis found
on Sunni days and wet.
I RACK, I RAN - the scene is set
last watch will be unwound.
Under a spreading dark chador
wild women come and go,
in sable robe all set their store
while wailings overflow
from deep despair and worldly care
with fresh, sectarian gore.
Some children coming home from school
looked on sad, damnèd beard,
the burning Bush tries keeping cool
as army highly geared
prepares partitionned future feared
Kurd, Sunni, Shia ghoul.
Some kids, from segregated school,
in hate stared, some in awe,
some spat, some sat a'wilting, drooled,
while others cried for more
Democracy – which means restore
the Sharia harsh and cruel.
Some dream of mortars falling nigh,
some hear the cannon roar,
some catch the burning sparks that fly
from mass destruction’s maw,
some - scattered chaff from threshing floor -
lie silent, others cry.
Some dream of martyrdom enshrined,
not candle, book, and bell,
where blind shall never lead the blind
where crosses signal hell,
where all bid Blair, Brown, Bush farewell
with ninety lashes signed.
Toiling, rejoicing, - sorrowing,
onward through life each goes;
Each morning sees sore borrowing
each evening, ‘seize, foreclose! ’
One wonders what earns night’s repose
with hangman’s turn to swing?
Under the spotlit mobile phone
both shame and blame were found,
with insults hurled in taunting tone
before he hit the ground.
Excuses lame all must bemoan
sound judgement proves unsound.
Thanks, thanks to you, true dangling friend
for the lesson you have taught
as at life’s flaming forge you bend
the noose where mortals, caught,
see fortunes fall whose rise they thought
would time and tide transcend.