Next to God, America, Me
by Chad Parenteau
hello
great state of
God
thank you
thank you
we have more
this
hate
we have more
so
give up your seat
you want to give it up
you go out
deal?
we have more
times five
fake news
never report
never report
showing
show
show
hear
hear
the sound
fake news
empty
empty
empty
and I came
the biggest
with your help
are going
radical socialist
landslide
best
ever
we’ve had prosperity
(continue previous stanza)
we’re going to keep it
we’ve
built
missiles
rockets
going to be
delivered
me
mumbling
mumbling, mumbling
mumbling
distracting
distracting
distracting
mumbling
we’re
angry
angry, but we
declared
we are
American
and
my address
the United States
complete, and absolute
tremendous
House
that’s something
I don’t even count
the
crusade has
failed
utterly
not I
we’re all
we have ever had
America’s
vile
killing
jobs
wages
fair trade
citizens
communities
cities
citizens
jobs
amazing
pretty good
we
destroyed
we killed
dead
dead
forever
America
keep on losing
millions
what’s happening
pretty strange
buses
and
buses
governor
governor
get prosecuted
great
great, just great
a lot of
the weakest
you people
weakest
all weak
truth
we
very simple America
I view it differently
who is
doing badly
talk to that person
I don’t’
I always
say
I’m a total loser
I am the worst person
I’m just horrible
I’m a total genus
love me before
again
something about money
first step
send a message
don’t worry about it
take back
hold
keep
you know
always
enthusiasm
enthusiasm
all fighting
going
all over the place
what the hell
don’t know
can’t even count
we’re thrilled
tonight
going to be here
going to be here
warriors
war
all they do
all that television back there
used to be big
going to be
our leader
oh, will that be nice
you’ll see
I tell this story
she was crying so much
one thing I learned
she was devastated
many wives
too upset
his wife
devastated
winner
looks better now
lot of guts
thank you
thank you
not bad
that’s not bad
thank you
thank you, thank you
thank you
thank you
I see somebody
in the audience
such a fighter
such a fighter
would win so easily
thank you
thank you
I’m just picking
everybody here
thank you
thank you
felt so good
everybody
we won
tremendous night
and there was a
party
big evening
thank you
very much
thank you
I’m not allowed to say that
making deals
people have no idea
we are making
deals
nobody’s
seen
thank you
thank you
thank you
good speech?
this hoax
want to tell you
the hoax
great job
get me the woman
that woman
great job
it’s great
thank you darling
all over the place
together we’re building
society
the world
a century
pretty amazing
pretty amazing
Americans
never been lower
African Americans
Hispanic Americans
Asian Americans
getting a little nervous
lowest time in
history
the history of our country
workers
betrayed
betrayed
betrayed
we’re delivering
African Americans
Asian Americans
Hispanic Americans
we are fighting
all Americans
thank you
working families
American families
who would have thought that?
job killing
you know
so you go back
more job
and we’re not finished
they want
our energy
our wealth
our countrysides
your house
your house
you want
a graveyard
look
a graveyard
that’s what we’re doing
we are reversing
your communities
your state
your communities
your jobs
our country
one in four
twin disaster
truly bad
lied
never did it
never even tried
wouldn’t have
I will tell you that
then
did
I’m not
I
took care
took care of
bye-bye
catastrophe
signed
into law
great
great
great
back
should never have left
number one
I ran
I’m one
I’ve run
I’ve won
I’ve won
I won
I’ve won
I ran
I won
you know that, right?
it scares
hell
I
the strongest ever
massive theft
our strategy
money is
poured
poured
now
respect
money pouring
believe it
by the way
in theory
I hope that’s true
China
spoke
and they’re
very, very hard
rough stuff
rough, rough stuff
getting better
with China
that nice?
finally
immigration, right?
I try and watch
I have an obligation
thousands of people
murders, rapists
children with drugs
we have to do better
illegal immigrants
free healthcare
free education
free Rolls Royce
they don’t get it
wall is being built
wall is being built
wall is going up
illegal aliens
are coming
give me anything I want
give me anything
drones
drones
people out
drones are wonderful
good
wall
illegal aliens
don’t come in
can’t come in
don’t come in
wall
wall
wheel and
wall
wheel and
wall
wheel and
wall
high wall
for
money
we could rebuild
America
could
but
the snake
she knows
you look good
tell you what
used to do this a lot
haven’t done it for a while
I thought
tonight
you’re on
and all these people
open
and we want
to come
they want to come
right?
right?
right?
we’ll do this quickly
listen
how quiet
how quiet
how quiet
so quiet
love
love
love
tender hearted woman
she cried
oh tender woman
oh tender woman
laid
by her fireside
oh tender woman
tender woman
she cried
vicious
me
oh tender woman
oh tender woman
the woman
silly woman
knew
I was a snake
legally
through merit
families
communities
don’t like them
don’t like them
human beings
in this room
aliens
aliens
alien
wouldn’t stop
you have a
great guy
didn’t like me
once I won
so good
fantastic
shut down cities
your family
your loved ones
vote Republican
illegal
illegal
illegal
what’s your address?
we have seized
more
than any
in history
remember
Bernie
would strip
Americans
their coveted
coverage
I wanted to see
take it away
Bernie
Bernie
Bernie
you again
we’re saving
what we did
protecting
Republican party
always will
pay a fortune
pay a fortune
pay a fortune
everything transparent
election time
all done
all signed
providers are
tumbling down
one hospital
another hospital
more
drugs
we
keep
to
plan
keep plan
your doctor
impeach
your doctor
taxes
crime
borders
abortion
corruption
Republican
American
family
dream
Lincoln, right?
we
boundless
movement
people
weak
the weakest
we are
big
very big
big party
party
party
people
party
party
send their child
government
right?
We pass
never
a shot
I guess
what we’ve done
criminal
opportunities
loving them
great
great
great
not going back
uphold the rule
we have
written
also
great
Supreme
thank you
thank you
thank you
thank you
we have
the
military
I love saying
New Hampshire
New Hampshire
Concord
Concord
Concord
Concord
Concord
Concord
Concord
Concord
Concord
Concord
I recognized
recognize
sovereignty
apologize
no, no
we don’t apologize
we don’t apologize
America
New Hampshire
if you want your children
devote everything
toward
America
I will tell you
swamp
much worse
swamp
swamp
a lot worse
swamp
dirty swamp
dirty swamp
you
dirty, horrible people
not good
not good
sucker
we will lift
welfare
independence
prosperity
lawful system
stamped
in USA
will achieve
breakthroughs
new
epidemic in America
how about that?
we will land
the moon
on Mars
all
USA
religious
and
right
we’re going to
take
everything
your wealth
everything
never stop
bind
work
life
faith
family
children
history
to
our national
God
patriots
defend their children to
die
I love that
die
wilderness
elements
greatest
greater
this country
we are taking
we are
power
you
keep
working
keep
fighting
one movement
ladies
come
American
America
America
America
thank you
thank you
image source: “The Incoherence at the Heart of Trumpist Nationalism,” by Damon Linker, The Week, July 30, 2019.
source text: Donald Trump New Hampshire Rally Transcript February 10, 2020 – Rev
Chad Parenteau is the author of Patron Emeritus, released in 2013 by FootHills Publishing. His work has appeared or is forthcoming in Tell-Tale Inklings, Queen Mob’s Tea House, What Rough Beast, The Skinny Poetry Journal, Ibbetson Street, Molecule and Résonance. He serves as Associate Editor of the online journal Oddball Magazine. He has hosted the long-running Stone Soup Poetry series in Boston since 2004. His second full-length collection, The Collapsed Bookshelf, is forthcoming.
