The way nightmares are funny.

George Carlin, the murderer, is dead.

He was a dangerous man.

He'd walk around with his machete swinging.

He'd macerate myths and propaganda.

You'd never know where or when he'd strike.

"I have only one life to give for my country."

Crap!

We keep killing the same fools over and over.

We raise them to kill and be killed.

Whack!

"Government of the people, by the people

And for the people--"

Whack!

"--Shall not perish from the earth."

Whack!  Whack!  Whack!

He carved it into a pretty dish.

He served it with a lot of salt.

"This is the war to end all wars!"

Whack!  Whack-whack-whack!

He stood it on its big fat head.

All its shiny coins fell out.

Blood skirled over the coins.

"The only thing we have to fear--"

Whack!

"--Is fear itself."

Whack!  Whack!  Whack-whack-whack!

There was nothing to fear about fear.

We could figure that out ourselves.

There was everything else to alert ourselves to--

Especially lies from those who said

We had nothing to fear but fear.

"We the People"

Whack!

"--In order to form a more perfect government ..."

Whack!

Government's always imperfect--

It deals with human beings.

"We hold these truths to be self-evident ..."

Whack!

Truth is never self-evident.

It wears a thousand transforming masks.

 

Reverend Carlin's dead.

He ministered to our wounds.

He applied the balm of love and laughter.

He walked us up to the Kingdom of Light.

He dared we make ourselves free to enter.

He left smiling.

Gary Corseri has published novels and poetry collections, edited the Manifestations anthology, had his dramas produced on Atlanta-PBS and elsewhere.  He has taught in prisons and universities, performed his work at the Carter Presidential Library and Museum, and has published/posted his work at hundreds of venues, including AtlanticFreePress, CounterPunch, The New York Times, Village Voice, Miami Herald and Philadephia Inquirer.  He can be contacted at gary_corseri@comcast.net.

 

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