Budget ’21

Tags

Australian budget 2021, Government waste, Gravy train, limerick, Limerick poem, poem, poetry, vote buying

𝐁𝐮𝐝𝐠𝐞𝐭  ‘𝟐𝟏

Once a year does the gravy train stop,

For its troughs to be filled to the top.

Then the pigs climb aboard

As the last pint is poured,

And they bury their snouts in the slop.

— D.N. O’Brien

Asymmetrical Warfare

Tags

Asymmetrical Warfare, Guerrilla war, poem, poetry, Triolet, Unwinnable wars

𝐀𝐬𝐲𝐦𝐦𝐞𝐭𝐫𝐢𝐜𝐚𝐥  𝐖𝐚𝐫𝐟𝐚𝐫𝐞

The powerful complain that it’s not fair

When they are badly beaten by the weak.

When weaklings bring ignoble force to bear,

The powerful complain that it’s not fair.

The weak by any means may trap or snare;

By treachery and cunning havoc wreak.

The powerful complain that it’s not fair

When they are badly beaten by the weak.

— D.N. O’Brien

Crystal Clear

Tags

poem, poetry, Red China, Taiwan, Triolet

𝐂𝐫𝐲𝐬𝐭𝐚𝐥  𝐂𝐥𝐞𝐚𝐫

It’s clear as crystal, so cannot be seen —

Red China’s plan to take over the world.

They see no need to lay a thick smokescreen —

It’s clear as crystal, so cannot be seen.

A bitter and revengeful war machine —

On conquered isles their scarlet flag’s unfurled.

It’s clear as crystal, so cannot be seen —

Red China’s plan to take over the world.

— D.N. O’Brien

“God is Dead”

Tags

Friedrich Nietzsche, God is Dead, poem, poetry

“𝐆𝐨𝐝 𝐢𝐬 𝐃𝐞𝐚𝐝”

Nietzsche, he believed in God, in writings he distilled Him.

But thought Him now beneath the sod, since modern man had killed Him.

— D.N. O’Brien

Corporate Communism

Tags

Corporations, limerick, Limerick poem, Limerick poetry, poem, poetry, Political Correctness, Woke Corporations

𝐂𝐨𝐫𝐩𝐨𝐫𝐚𝐭𝐞 𝐂𝐨𝐦𝐦𝐮𝐧𝐢𝐬𝐦

Corporations are communes of course.

A requirement to list on the bourse

Is that companies must be

Fully woke and PC.

Social values they must reinforce.

— D.N. O’Brien

A Vow of Silence

Tags

poem, poetry, Triolet, Vow of Silence

𝗔  𝗩𝗼𝘄  𝗼𝗳  𝗦𝗶𝗹𝗲𝗻𝗰𝗲

For thirty years you haven’t said a word;

But now we’ll set you free to tell your tale.

Had you said anything we would have heard —

For thirty years you haven’t said a word.

You gave no hint, no clue to what occurred,

But now you may — those secrets have gone stale.

For thirty years you haven’t said a word;

But now we’ll set you free to tell your tale.

— D.N. O’Brien

Demented Democracy?

Tags

democracy, poem, poetry, sonnet, Spenserian sonnet

𝐃𝐞𝐦𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐞𝐝 𝐃𝐞𝐦𝐨𝐜𝐫𝐚𝐜𝐲?

Democracy, a system often praised,

Assumes that those who vote are mostly sane.

But what if more than half of them are crazed?

Thus less than half, the sane ones that remain.

To whom would this minority complain?

To those who are elected by the ill?

What would such evil actors have to gain

By bending to a far-outnumbered will?

Democracy is not so hard to kill —

It dies, then comes a sick one party state.

The nation could be governed by a dill

To whom the crazy voters could relate —

Perhaps an old guy half way round the twist;

Could such a possibility exist?

— D.N. O’Brien

A Bottom-up Problem

Tags

poetry, poem, democracy, Demos, Triolet

𝐀  𝐁𝐨𝐭𝐭𝐨𝐦-𝐮𝐩  𝐏𝐫𝐨𝐛𝐥𝐞𝐦

The quality of a democracy

Depends upon the state of the demos.

Observe the voters — for it’s there you’ll see

The quality of a democracy.

Do they choose to be safe, or to be free?

Love liberty, or couldn’t give a toss?

The quality of a democracy

Depends upon the state of the demos.

— D.N. O’Brien

Blowing Bitcoin Bubbles

Tags

Bitcoin, Bitcoin bubble, gambling, poem, poetry, the Cloud

Blowing Bitcoin Bubbles

I bought a bitcoin. (So I’m told)

It’s far more valuable than gold.

I thought it would arrive by post,

But now, it seems, it’s like a ghost.

Instead of being out and proud,

It hides from sight within the cloud.

I thought it was a coin I’d bought,

But it’s as solid as a thought.

Its value had increased tenfold

But then it dived. (Should I have sold?)

No, I will wait for a rebound.

I’ll bet my strategy is sound.

No matter what turmoil or trouble,

Nothing can burst the bitcoin bubble.

— D.N. O’Brien

A Sonnet for Kamala

Tags

Kamala Harris, poem, poetry, sonnet, Spenserian sonnet

(Since I don’t think Joe can be kept alive for much longer)

(I recycled this from one I wrote for Hillary, but she let me down)

𝐀  𝐒𝐨𝐧𝐧𝐞𝐭  𝐟𝐨𝐫  𝐊𝐚𝐦𝐚𝐥𝐚

A female President? – What could go wrong?
In government one has to compromise,
And we all know the fairer sex is strong
In that regard, and too, unlike the guys,
Gals hold no grudges and they tell no lies.
Logical, clear-headed, rational, and
Like Solomon, judicious, fair, and wise.
Male politicians, on the other hand,
Behave in ways no one can understand.
So with a female leader we can live.
A change for good is sweeping o’er the land.
We need a President with love to give.
Into the depths ancient suspicions hurl,
And give the highest office to a girl.

— D.N. O’Brien