May 2003

Views expressed are those of the authors, not necessarily of the AFSC.

The President and the Poet
Come to the Negotiating Table

I only agreed to compromise when it became clear
they were already stealing them again out from under us:
words, one at a time.

Okay, I said, like some ambassador for language
facing him hunched over my yellow pad of conditions.

He was wearing his orange tie and with the graciousness
of one who believes they have little to lose, he said
There are far too many words, anyway.

Okay, then, I said, you can have CONQUEST and DOW JONES.
You can have BOMBS, but we want the SMART back.

This was fine with him. He had plenty of other words for SMART,
and would trade it for IMPERIAL and NUCLEAR.

TRADE is a word, I said, you might as well keep,
but don't touch SHADOW or PHENOMENA.

I gave up SOFT when paired with TARGETS
for the names of every bird. He said he'd consider
relinquishing CITIZEN for CUSTOMER.

I made my claim for CONSCIENCE, but he refused
until I sacrificed PERFECTION.

That's when he stood up shaking and wagging his finger at me.
He had spotted GOD upside-down on my list.

Under no circumstances, he said, do you get GOD,
and only calmed down when he heard me announce
I completely agreed with him.

GOD, I said, must be returned to God.

But this wasn't what he had in mind.
In his mind were SHOCK and AWE.

SHOCK was the word to bring me to my feet,
because poets can rise up angry and shaking
for what they love too.

SHOCK, I said. You can have SHOCK.
But AWE--over my dead body.

--L.R. Berger

Boston, March 29 © Ellen Shub

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