eellspoems

poetry by john eells

The Field Of Candidates

Posted by restorel66 on August 21, 2008

The field of candidates is narrowed. Now,
Choose. Dare to boil them down to
Essential elements. A Democrat, a
Republican, yes, but dig
Deeper than platform, affiliation,
Denomination, or stance. Cut
Further than commitments and
Intents. Take core samples. Examine
Layered deposition of sediments.
Separate human nominee from
Image, bluff, and sincerity. Is anything
Left? Determine something right!

Forget slip-ups, bombast, flip-flops and
Every form of nonsense. No matter
Conviction or calculation, burn it. Put
Occam’s razor to their necks.
What remains? Ten ounces of
Heart. 120 pounds of warm water. Apply
Pressure and they are sweat and
Blood dropped on dry earth under an
Ether sky. Their essence is
Dependence. Shudder and admit: We
Know not what substance will appear as
The next president takes his chair.

We scrutinize decisions, policies, every
Inhalation, but never grasp
Fundamental assurance. Can John Adams or
Abe Lincoln be known before they
Take the oath?! Then their fruit goes
Through the squeezer; their juices mix
Tonics for others; they dehydrate—emerge,
As from a dryer, self-contracted. We
Probe and mine to find them and
So vote for red or blue, but are
Not apt to see that they, and us, are
Hapless, begging, rubes.

One Response to “The Field Of Candidates”

  1. Liz said

    hey! that’s good. if i can figure out how to make link may I share it with a friend? now I must read your other poems!

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