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Thursday, July 16, 2020

Matres Tribus (Three Mothers): Imaginary Biopics in Meter & Rhyme by Ulysses Poe with Images by the Author

Below's deploy'd a trio of socio activists -- all actual or
potential moms -- whom you ought to know a lot more
about. But you will need to research them yourself. In
the meantime, here are three thumbnail portraits -- 
and this reminder: there are many more than three BL
maters(And plenty of paters, too: cf last line of poem.)
 
Sing out, "How-DEE!" 
to Opal T.,
the well-known Black Lives mater.
Tometi fights
for human rights
as writer, educator,
as agitator, 
organizer...
(More 'bout Opal later.)

Now meet Ali-
cia Garza. She...?
Another Black Lives mater,
who strives to teach
the soul of each
'n' ev'ry woman-hater
to "apogee"
their enmity:
one BLM creator.

One more: Patrisse
Kahn-Cullors, peace-
ful envoy, Black Lives mater --
fine artisan. 
(Me...? I'm a fan.
My cousin wants to date 'er.)
Three Black Lives Matter 
matriarchs.
There protest no "moms" greater.

But ask your housemaid or your waiter:
Harriet...?* A Black Lives mater.
      Ask calypso's Lord Invader:
Fannie Lou...?** A Black Lives mater.
     Ask James Banning, aviator:
Rosa Parks...? A Black Lives mater.
     Ask the Pequod's navigator:
Daisy Bates...? A Black Lives mater.
     Ask your fire pit's excavator:
Dorothy Height...? A Black Lives mater.
     Ask that quiz show moderator:
Diane Nash...? A Black Lives mater.
     Ask each Tot you're sure's a Tater:
S. P. Clark...? A Black Lives mater.

     John R. Lewis...? Advocator,
freedom fighter, Black Lives pater!

     * Harriet Tubman   
     ** Fannie Lou Hamer


     Notes on Opal, Alicia and Patrisse 

When but a second grader, young Opal hops a freighter,
one bound for the equator -- nor do her bros dissuade her.
     Garza's radish grater's deploy'd for Shabbat seder --
all so she need not cater that meal...nor none upbraid her.
     A Marxist incubator, a former Oakland Raider
and honorary 'Gator, Patrisse once plump'd for Nader.

Sunday, July 12, 2020

You Bet! And Yet...: a Specious Surrender in 700 Shrugs or How's Such Dreck Still Chief Exec...?

     Whether McSweeney's "Horrors" list of 796 (and counting) so-called "corruptions" is used, or WaPo's lie tally (20,000+ and counting) is employed (and that's not to mention any reliance on Mary Trump's new book), the author will run no risk of running short of material for his new "You Bet/And Yet" iambic pentameter stanzas. 

D
oes Drumpf ignore his PDBs...? 
You bet! 
(Can't see the forests or the trees.) And yet...
this factophobe is still the presidet.*

Does Drumpf display unbridled id...? You bet!
He acts out -- like a monster kid. And yet...
this sociopath is still the presidet. 

Claims Drumpf, "Obama's Kenyan-born!"...? You bet!
(Such heresy now's grown forlorn.) And yet...
this heretic is still the presidet.

Does Drumpf fan further birther myth...? You bet!
(If press'd, I guess he'd plead the fi'th.) And yet...
this pantload POTUS still's the presidet.

Employs Drumpf fronts to take his tests...? You bet! 
Nor none those rigg'd results contests. And yet...
this charlatan is still the presidet.

Does Drumpf cry, "Mexicans...? All thugs!"...? You bet! 
Drones Don, "They're bringing sex 'n' drugs." And yet...
this slanderer is still the presidet.

Does Drumpf vow, "I will build a wall!"...? You bet! 
"Plus, Mexico'll stake wherewithall." And yet...
this fake-believer's still the presidet.

Does Drumpf deceive to dodge the draft...? You bet!
(I read that, afterwards, Drumpf laughed.) And yet...
this spurious bone spur's still presidet. 

Does Donald diss his own top docs...? You bet!
He Fauci through indictments mocks. And yet...
this saboteur is still the presidet.

Drones Drumpf, "I am The Chosen One"...? You bet!
(Though Donald's not Jehovah's son.) And yet...
this sophomaniac's still presidet.

Does Drumpf employ the sucker punch...? You bet!
(Still, wimp at heart -- so's Nancy's hunch.) And yet...
this swagger stick is still the presidet.

Are pussies grabb’d by Don de D*…? You bet!
Boasts Drumpf, “The sluts enable me.” And yet…
this s.o.D. remains the presidet.

Does Donald’s White House wax a mess…? You bet!
(Ple-e-ease: pace, Mies*-- seems less is less.) And yet…
this empty vessel's still the presidet.

Are Donald’s tweetstorms for the birds…? You bet!
Asks Drumpf, “What dude has better words.” And yet…
this narcissist persists as presidet.

Dares Drumpf religious values smirch...? You bet!
The GOP's D's megachurch. And yet...
this hypocritter's still the presidet.

Does Putin price each G.I.'s head...? You bet!
Still, nyet is all Shef Drumpf has said. And yet...
this Arnold (Benedict) still's presidet.**

Does Drumpf at golf his partners cheat...? You bet!
Much publicized is his deceit. And yet...
this bogiemeister thrives as presidet.

Does Drumpf admire the Stars 'n' Bars...? You bet!
He just ignores all Jim Crow's scars. And yet...
this South'ner's Comfort's still the presidet.

Does Drumpf dishonor John McCain...? You bet!
(I can't imagine what's Drumpf's gain.) And yet...
this base disgrace is still the presidet.

Does Drumpf draw Megyn Kelly's blood...? You bet!
He wars with women...in the mud. And yet...
this chauvinist is still the presidet.

Does Donald ridicule the Khans...? You bet!
That anti-Muslim bent...? 'Tis Don's. And yet...
this xenophobe is still the presidet.

Does POTUS pose with taco bowls...? You bet!
A ploy to woo Hispanic souls...? And yet...
this foul fanatico still's presidet.

Does Drumpf attack Judge Curiel...? You bet!
Thus Don secures his place in hell. And yet...
this white supremacist still's presidet.
(More horror to come: a work in progress.)

Opticalloozza #1/2: Pickin' the Prolixer POTUS


Which Chicster-in-Chief at 
left is sporting the lengthier 
cravat...? Surprise, surprise!
Both ties (though not both
guys) are exactly the same
length. (Think of this whole
illusion as a kind of Trump
l'oiell. In fact, you might well 
consider the last four years 
in much the same way.)

Saturday, July 11, 2020

Opticalloozza #2020: Say What You See...?





Some viewers insist they see the
beautiful chalice of carved redwood
which is used as part of the
paraphernalia in Holy Communion
service as celebrated at Saint
Stravaganz parish in Eureka,
California. Others imagine they spot
the figure of Snowflake, the white
kitten hand puppet and star of
"Snowflake 'n' Friends," part of PBS's
lineup of children's early-morning
programming. What do you see...?

Wednesday, July 8, 2020

Slink Shot: a Photograph of a Digital Enhancement of a Drawing of a Slinky by Ulysses Poe


Colored pencils on illustration board, digitally modified: 12" by 10" by Uly Poe


The "Gh"ost in the Machination: New Nonsense from PlaysWellWithLetters


                                                                       Ab...c, d...e, f…gh. 
                                                            ABCs plus nonsense…? Ugh!
                                                       Abbreviated alphabets…? Ouch
                                                     You despise truncation…? Tough!
                                              Objections...? Filed in yonder trough
                                    Those folks who keep objecting...? Through
(Our inquiries are stringent. Our interrogation methods...? Thorough.)

Friday, July 3, 2020

Wolaly on 'OLD' > 'NEW'

Line six, the sixth rung in this wolaly 
ladder, may seem to certain readers 
as at best a stretch and at worst a 
catastrophe. For the poet, however, 
this choice of word is, in fact, the 
clinamen which guarantees the 
integrity of the piece -- or so he 
would insist. In the end, of course, 
you decide.

     Septet
"Lamps new for lamps old"...?
The whole bus'ness rings odd:
ought the Sorcerer add
perks -- small off'rings to aid
a swift wrap...? And how did
young Aladdin's woke d(j)in(n)
spring our lad from that den...?

     Volta 
(Rare Arabian dew:
never old, ever new.)

Current Events Q&A: It's a Grand New Flag

     

"Bracken, Chive 'n' Madder"
chemical marker and colored pencil
on copy paper, digitally modified,
by Ulysses Poe

Hooray for the Red White and Blue!
  
  Which 
hues imbue brave battle flags 
unfurl'd by Black Lives
Matter...?     
     Tri-colors only Opal* wags, 
dyed bracken,** chive*** 'n'
madder.****

     * Opal Tometi, one of three
co-founders of the movement.
     ** Bracken is a dark orange.
     *** Chive (PMS 19-0323) is
medium-dark yellow-green.
     **** Madder (PMS 19-
1331) is a red-brown hue.

The Cabinet of Dr Pantload

Congress, an  arm of Drumpf's  Reich,     now is  led by some  Johnson* call'd  Mike.     Mike's  record is  vile;     a re- vie...