CHANGE

There was a time when we felt that change was relative. One hundred days after taking office the media is still enamoured of the new President. The campaign slogan, "change" seems to have a new meaning. A recent note on the CBC's "The Next Chapter" lamented the lack of engagement in the political by poets. Poets depend on patronage. Poets are not political, or...

ONE HUNDRED AND CHANGE

There has never been
A half-white Commander-in-C
A half-black in the oval's crest.
You think! You need nothing

Else—this is change, I bring you
$20 billion for Bank of America
$20 billion for C—B gave you
TARP, I give you TALF—change
Much more than It-Wasn't-Me
Gave Chase a fire-free bargain
Bears—another $24 billion for C

Another bailout For BAC, another
Bailout for Wall Street feasting
on the backs of your children.
Change! Mine are taken care of
From these hallowed lawns
to college and beyond. The big thing:

What dog to select. We'll change
To the Portuguese. There are pups
And pups—man you no Shakespeare!
But a promise is, well, you know
A valentine thing. Your health
Care cost has gone up, you didn't
Get a raise? Your bosses did.

After billions to the billionaires
Ah! Some change from the Bush
Who gave you $1,000 or $2,000
In-the-Bush-years-rebates—
A democratic republican!

Here, take $20.00 per paycheck—
If you have one. Yes, we can!
Change! Cut $100 million—
not from Wall Street—
I promise you: one cent, five cents,
Ten cents change—one cent,
five cents, Ten cents change

© Sasenarine Persaud