my three yachts

my wine collection

and the art works I have

prodigiously displayed

among my five homes

all my cars

and the Lear jet

do you think for a moment

I would allow such culture

and taste to fall into the hands

of the common rabble

not fit to wipe their snot

on my dog’s silk pawsocks?

get me the President, Charles

this nonsense must stop

imagine the gall of these people

behaving like Arab swine

no manners or breeding

yes, Mr. President

you really must do something

what’s that?

no, that’s not enough

bloody streets and busted heads

remember Chicago in ’68

we must make sure they get it

and also others watching

yes, it will look good

when it is spun right

people will think

you have a spine

all right then

I have guests tonight

we’ll watch it on TV

remember the dead

do not matter

remember what matters

my God, Charles

that man is thick sometimes

makes me yearn for Clinton

has Coolidge been fed?

did you get him the fetuses

from Lawrence Livermore?

and make me another martini

and dry this time, Charles

God, I have to do everything

Peter Buknatski

Montpelier, Vt.