21A. Ballad of a political candidate
© Bruce Goodman 1 May 2016







(Feel free to name whatever political candidate you wish.)

I make no excuses for such cheap rhythm and rhyme
It seems that the cheapness most suits the crime.
As the chicken exclaimed when the world it first saw:
Cheap! Cheap! Cheap! Cheap! And it don’t say no more.


Now surrounded with elegance, wit, and all that,
Jackie, the idol of America,
sat.

The honour of being the first among ladies
meant she could have all the president’s
babies.

Most thought it sweet that she should beget;
some thought the political method was
wet.

But with a hole in the neck and one in the head
the handsome prince fell and died – not in
bed.

The dead one became an immediate saint
and the whole fairy story became rather
quaint.

But brushing away all the sackcloth and ashes
Jackie got up and ran to
Onassis.

Before one could blink there were rumours afoot;
conspiracies abounded and published in
books.

Who pulled the trigger? Who aimed the gun?
Was it three? Was it two? Maybe just
one?

The truth is quite simple and ne’er before heard,
though some people think the inference
absurd.

I’d like to suggest a candidate done it.
They want the top job and shoot for the
fun of it.

I make no excuses for such cheap rhythm and rhyme
It seems that the cheapness most suits the crime.
As the chicken exclaimed when the world it first saw:
Cheap! Cheap! Cheap! Cheap! And it don’t say no more.









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