The Snake Oil Salesman Rationalizes

Tags

Australian poet, poem, poetry, Rhyming couplets, Self deception, Snake oil salesmen

𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐒𝐧𝐚𝐤𝐞 𝐎𝐢𝐥 𝐒𝐚𝐥𝐞𝐬𝐦𝐚𝐧 𝐑𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐚𝐥𝐢𝐳𝐞𝐬

Initially his aim was to deceive,
But in his product he would soon believe.

— D.N. O’Brien

Affirmative Aviation

Tags

affirmative action, Australian poet, Gender quotas, poem, poetry, Sex quotas, Triolet

𝐀𝐟𝐟𝐢𝐫𝐦𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐯𝐞 𝐀𝐯𝐢𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧

The girls will soon be flying us around,
With half the pilots of the fairer sex.
If they can get their planes up off the ground,
The girls will soon be flying us around.
Sex quotas work, so near the speed of sound,
Their passengers will gladly risk their necks.
The girls will soon be flying us around,
With half the pilots of the fairer sex.

— D.N. O’Brien

Social Capital

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Activist CEOs, Activist corporate boards, Australian poet, Corporations, Formal poetry, poem, poetry, Socialist corporate boards, Triolet

Social Capital

Most corporations are now on the nose,
And trying to be all things to all men —
They’re suffering from self-inflicted blows.
Most corporations are now on the nose,
For socialists are now their CEOs.
Should one invest in corporations when
Most corporations are now on the nose,
And trying to be all things to all men?

— D.N. O’Brien

State of Decay

Tags

Australian poet, Decline of the West, democracy, Friedrich Nietzsche, Oswald Spengler, poem, poetry, Triolet

𝗦𝘁𝗮𝘁𝗲 𝗼𝗳 𝗗𝗲𝗰𝗮𝘆

I fear that Nietzsche may have got it right:
Democracies will decompose to dust.
I read his thoughts, I slept, then woke in fright!
I fear that Nietzsche may have got it right —
His prophecy that that which shone so bright,
Will tarnish over time and turn to rust.
I fear that Nietzsche may have got it right:
Democracies will decompose to dust.

— D.N. O’Brien

Colonists

Tags

Ancient Greek colonies, Australian poet, Colonialism, Formal poetry, poem, poetry, sonnet, Spenserian sonnet

𝐂𝐨𝐥𝐨𝐧𝐢𝐬𝐭𝐬

The first ones clustered round the central seas.
From city states the ancient Greeks they came.
On foreign shores they founded colonies,
And to each settlement they gave their name.
They set their sails to conquer and find fame,
To spread Hellenic culture to the Earth;
Barbarians they thought it right to tame,
For their crude ways they thought of lesser worth.
And so of colonies we see the birth —
Of how the thinkers sent abroad their thoughts.
Of how they sought Poseidon’s realms to girth.
These frogs around the ponds no doubt had warts;
But had the Greeks not spread their wisdom wide;
Before their birth — what wonders may have died?

— D.N. O’Brien

Innocent Issues

Tags

Abortion on demand, Australian poet, poem, poetry, sonnet, Spenserian sonnet, Western Decline

Innocent Issues

When have we dropped as far as we can go?
When have we reached the bottom of the well?
When have the western nations sunk so low,
They can but rise, or else descend to Hell.
Is there a warning? Does there ring a bell?
No, but the signs are clear to open eyes —
The crimes committed and the burning smell
Of flesh that is our own, but never cries —
That bursts into the light and quickly dies.
Yet for this damned destruction do we weep?
Oh no, we cloak the crime with smiles and lies.
We gladly sow, then prematurely reap.
We pull from fertile earth the sprouting seeds,
And then discard them, as one would with weeds.

— D.N. O’Brien

Taboo

Tags

Ancient man, australian aboriginal, Australian Aboriginal laws, Australian bush poetry, Australian poet, poem, poetry, sonnet, Spenserian sonnet, Stone age man, Taboo, totems and taboos, Tribal societies

Taboo

You ask me, how on earth did he survive
For many centuries? Well here’s a clue:
For more than needed, never did he strive.
His little wealth he carried, his needs few.
He stuck to the old ways and nothing new
Would he allow. So for thousands of years
He didn’t change — for change it was taboo.
Paralysis by superstitious fears —
This saved him. Round the fire at night wise seers
Would tell the dreamtime myths — his history,
Unquestioned by his trusting eyes and ears.
And thus did he remain fearful, not free.
Bound tight by rigid rules that would not bend,
His world would stay unchanged — else it would end.

— D.N. O’Brien

No Respect on Court

Tags

Australian poet, Australian Tennis Open, John McEnroe, Margaret Court, poem, poetry, Triolet

𝐍𝐨 𝐑𝐞𝐬𝐩𝐞𝐜𝐭 𝐨𝐧 𝐂𝐨𝐮𝐫𝐭

The foul-mouthed McEnroe shows no respect,
And gay old girls support his foolish words.
From such a brat it’s what you would expect —
The foul-mouthed McEnroe shows no respect.
The tennis bosses to him genuflect —
They must display their virtue to the herds.
The foul-mouthed McEnroe shows no respect,
And gay old girls support his foolish words.

— D.N. O’Brien

Emotionists

Tags

Australian poet, limerick, Limerick poem, Limerick poetry, poem, poetry

Emotionists

They’re the ones that democracy dreads,
More than Marxists or other such reds.
They are slaves to emotions,
And misplaced devotions —
They vote with their hearts, not their heads.

— D. N. O’Brien

Trying Hard

Tags

Australian poet, poem, poetry, Same-sex marriage, Triolet

Trying Hard

The same-sex couple just recently wed,
Are trying hard to start a family.
They spend a lot of time tucked up in bed —
The same-sex couple just recently wed.
Some helpful books they have rabidly read —
Followed instructions — now they wait and see.
The same-sex couple just recently wed,
Are trying hard to start a family.

— D.N. O’Brien