Emoluments, a poem by Alexander Manzoni

by Alexander Manzoni, Elections Correspondent

Profit not from your station— as leader of this great nation.
The presidency was not intended to be a money-making operation.
But you won’t listen, no matter what happens.
The emoluments clause should, in fact, become law,
instead of a strongly-worded Constitutional suggestion.
Our dignity as a country has lessen’d.

But you care naught, tweeting madly about random celebrities from
your golden throne, in Mar-a-Lago.
You can’t even be bothered to stay, for too long, in Washington.
The golf courses there, they must not be up to par.
We are looking to the stars— praying for relief,
while the rest are on their knees, caught up in the furor of belief.
Resounding with chants, extolling what gives us grief.
Bowing to thee— some say you are chosen by GOD, HIMSELF.
Then again, we all have different priorities
(some less misguided than others).

Venomous venal villain.
You are selling us OUT
any chance you get
to make an easy buck.
What luck!
There is no dearth
of Saudi princes & oligarchs
to fill your cavernous hotels.

I smell something.
‘Tis rotten.
And it is coming from your off-shore tax-dodging coffers.
How many foul offers have you received
since taking that oath of office?
How much money have you, your family, your cronies MADE—
with your underhanded sleazy tactics?

Emoluments. What a joke—
a joke akin to our politicians.
Do nothing. BAN EVERYTHING.
Bail out the banks. And invest
the rest in the military/prison industrial complex.
What a smoking train wreck—
‘tis a dumpster fire beyond reasonable comparison.
We must garrison ourselves against this seemingly-endless onslaught.
Those who sought to buck The System,
by voting for a man with no experience in politics—
a man of bad character and worse hair—
THEY are the ones who NEED to care—
they NEED to LISTEN NOW more than EVER.

On Election Day, be sure to pull the right lever.
Check the proper box.
DO what you need to—
to send the message: “We are DONE with YOU!!!”
But those of blue, they must do their part, as well.
They need to be candidates of strength & vitality,
not corporate shills— controlled
by the will of lobbyists.
SEE THROUGH THE CHICANERY.
RECOGNIZE THE SIGNS.
I know you might be disillusioned—
that your voice— your vote, it matters little.
But now is not the time to give up.
You say, “So what?”
DON’T BE A LOST CAUSE.
Don’t help this country FALL.
Don’t be complicit with the downward spiral.