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

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

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

Party Politics

Tags

Australian poet, Party Politics, poem, poetry, Triolet

𝗣𝗮𝗿𝘁𝘆 𝗣𝗼𝗹𝗶𝘁𝗶𝗰𝘀

The men are talking politics again.
The women (most of them) are looking bored.
Pissed off, they are — it’s not surprising when
The men are talking politics again.
While women, we are told, are just like men,
Can party observations be ignored?
The men are talking politics again.
The women (most of them) are looking bored.

— D.N. O’Brien

Sticks and Stones

Tags

Aboriginal protests, Australia Day protests, Australian poet, poem, poetry, Triolet

𝐒𝐭𝐢𝐜𝐤𝐬 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐒𝐭𝐨𝐧𝐞𝐬

If we had left you in your stone-age state,
Would you have stopped the Jap with wooden spears?
I fear you would have met a gruesome fate
If we had left you in your stone-age state.
Just for a moment pause and contemplate
A harsher history — and dry your tears.
If we had left you in your stone-age state,
Would you have stopped the Jap with wooden spears?

— D.N. O’Brien

China Syndrome

Tags

Australian poet, China Syndrome, Gravy train, poem, poetry, Triolet

China Syndrome

Just listen carefully and I’ll explain.
The Chinese are our slaves — they make our things.
We feed them iron ore and gas and grain.
Just listen carefully and I’ll explain.
The Chinese fill our Hell-bound gravy train
With all the stuff we need for our wing-dings.
Just listen carefully and I’ll explain.
The Chinese are our slaves — they make our things.

— D.N. O’Brien

Celtic Copies

Tags

Alan Joyce, Alan Joyce gay Irish CEO of Qantas, Australian poet, Clones, poem, poetry, QANTAS, Triolet

𝐂𝐞𝐥𝐭𝐢𝐜 𝐂𝐨𝐩𝐢𝐞𝐬

Is someone out there cloning Alan Joyce?
Our CEOs all look and sound like him.
The face, the fine physique, the tenor voice —
Is someone out there cloning Alan Joyce?
There doesn’t seem to be a lot of choice —
The prospects for diversity seem dim.
Is someone out there cloning Alan Joyce?
Our CEOs all look and sound like him.

— D.N. O’Brien

Another Royal Commission

Tags

Australian bushfires, Australian national forests mismanagement, Australian poet, poem, poetry, Privitization of Australian national forests, Royal Commission into bushfires, Triolet

𝗔𝗻𝗼𝘁𝗵𝗲𝗿 𝗥𝗼𝘆𝗮𝗹 𝗖𝗼𝗺𝗺𝗶𝘀𝘀𝗶𝗼𝗻

When all else fails then have a Royal Commission.
When it concludes, the ash will be stone-cold.
Although it’s simple — fuel, hot wind, ignition;
When all else fails then have a Royal Commission.
The bush is in such terrible condition —
The forestry, once ours, has all been sold.
When all else fails then have a Royal Commission.
When it concludes, the ash will be stone-cold.

— D.N. O’Brien

Postmodern Fairy Tales

Tags

Australian poet, Drag Queens, Drag Queens reading to children, poem, poetry, Postmodernism, Triolet

Postmodern Fairy Tales

Drag queens should read to little kids, I say,
For after all, I ask — what could go wrong?
(For our ideas in little brains to stay,
Drag queens should read to little kids, I say.
Our infiltration deepens day by day,
And bit by bit we wear away the strong.)
Drag queens should read to little kids, I say,
For after all, I ask — what could go wrong?

— D.N. O’Brien

Burning Desire

Tags

Australian bush fires, Australian bush poetry, Australian Greens, Australian poet, Formal poetry, Greens oppose reduction burning, poem, poetry, ScoMo, Scott Morrison Australian Prime Minister, Triolet

𝗕𝘂𝗿𝗻𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗗𝗲𝘀𝗶𝗿𝗲

The bush is burning! ScoMo should resign!
No! All the Greens should jump into the fire —
Take with them their chai lattes, cheese, and wine.
The bush is burning! Scomo should resign!
But for the Greens the bush would be just fine!
The stupid Greens have earned the nation’s ire!
The bush is burning! ScoMo should resign!
No! All the Greens should jump into the fire!

— D.N. O’Brien