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December 12, 2004

Oh Goody. Another Freakin’ Contest.

There’s some real beauty in this Rumsfeld statement: “You go to war with what you have.” There could be a thousand different things that follow - or precede - a line like that.

It has the reek of ’sensitive poetic expression’ to it, doncha think?

It has thus inspired The American Street’s first annual ‘Out With the Old” poetry contest. The rules are simple enough:

1) Write a poem at least three lines long (up to any number you please).

2) It must include the line quoted in the first sentence of this post.

3) The theme of the poem is yours to decide. It can be anti-war, pro-war or something entirely different. It can be serious, funny, sarcastic, tragic, whatever - it’s yours to decide.

4) There are two ways to make your entries. I’ll post reminders on at least the next two weekends and on the final contest day. Your entry can be submitted as a comment in response to those posts, or it can be emailed directly to me at any time up to deadline. (if it’s longer than 20 lines, I recommend using the email route)

5) Deadline is 11:59 pm PST on 12/30/04. My email address is kahlil[at]despammed[dot]com

6) A panel of judges (at least three) will be chosen to review the entries and select a winner. The winning entry will be posted by January 1, 2005.

7) Your submission grants us the right to publish the entry as a post, up through the day the winner is announced. You retain all copyrights after January 1st, 2005.

8) There will be a prize. It will likely be a book. I have to discuss this with team members to determine an appropriate prize. If two things happen - a substantial number of quality entries, and a halfway decent month of fundraising - we will create more winning categories (first place, second place, etc) and award more prizes. All these details in #8 should be figured out within the next week. And until then, we’re open to suggestions from our readers, including an appropriate prize or prizes.

Questions? Ideas?

56 Responses to “Oh Goody. Another Freakin’ Contest.”

  1. mark Says:

    You go to war with what you have
    whether you€™re ready or you€™re not;
    And though you boys might get blown up
    Midge Decter thinks I€™m hot.

  2. ScrewyHoolie Says:

    Improv time…

    You Go To War With What You Have -

    When David slung his sling
    And felled Goliath
    like a sack of Iraqi potatoes,
    He didn’t envy
    the Giant’s helm
    or long for armor other
    than God’s breath.

    When the cloud of desert dust
    blew up from under the deadest of men,
    David sighed and smiled,
    reveling in his
    Rumsfeldian triumph.

  3. Mark Gisleson Says:

    Oil for blood

    You go to war with
    what you have, to take what you
    don’t have enough of.

    43

    Idiot prince with
    vain counselors. You go to
    war with what you have.

  4. Cosa Nostradamus Says:

    .
    sound off, one, two,
    sound off, three, four,

    i don’t know but i been told
    eskimo poontang’s mighty cold
    no one said that life was fair
    so quit your whinin’ over there

    you go to war with the army you have
    (us damned have-nots, ’specially)
    not the army you wish you had
    (an army of other guys, hopefully)

    even a tank can get blown up
    (an army no one wants to see)
    in war there’s never a guarantee
    (why oh god does it gotta be me?)

    hut-two-three-four
    the army owns your ass for four
    five-six-seven-eight
    its your recruiter you should hate

    HOO-HAH!
    .

  5. Aethern Says:

    Entropy the Bitch

    You go to war with what you have,
    cold steel and heated blood,
    bullets that kill long after the blast,
    iron fist with an iron glove.

    You go to war with what we have,
    leaving empty beds and broken homes.
    Built on the backs of the opiated masses,
    your empire spreads the seed of doom.

    Nothing lasts forever, the center never holds
    Mighty were the fallen kings in the forgotten days of old.
    Their treasures piled high until they rivaled even God
    Pride and Vanity blinded them, an indestructible façade.
    But their splendid armour rusted, their golden gates were felled.
    Their castles crumbled down around them, dogs of war, dogs of hell.

    And yet you believe you are immune to their unhappy fate?
    You€™ve been telling lies so long, they€™ve now replaced your faith.
    But God don€™t brook liars and killers €“
    He never has and never will.
    You hold the cards, such as they are,
    Judgment draws nearer, ever still.
    Every single death, every little drop of blood
    forms a retribution river, soon to be a flood.

    Famine, ice, and fire, God has used them all.
    And we all may yet pay the price when you finally take the fall.
    That is why we fight you, with everything we have.
    With our voices raised, fists in the air, we never stop, never flag.
    We fight you tooth and nail for the soul of all humanity -
    For our children€™s hope, we awoke our people€™s fading sanity.
    Your time is running short though you cannot see your end -
    For we shall be the hand of God, we shall undo your sins.

    You go to war with what you have,
    but you€™re not as strong as you believe.
    For we go to war with what we have €“
    Armed with Truth, we shall set you free.

  6. Phoenician in a time of Romans Says:

    You go to war with what you have.
    We never promised you’d come back with it.
    You whine it hurts when they debride your stump -
    Soldier, find someone else who gives a shit.

  7. Phoenician in a time of Romans Says:

    (the last, of course, was all to be read in Rumsfeld voice…)

  8. Goat Boy Says:

    Amen
    By Goat Boy

    You go to war with the army you have,
    And not the Army you want.
    You shoot the grouse released from the bag,
    And not what is tricky to hunt.
    You pack your cabinet with the stooges around,
    And not those skilled or bright.
    You do those things you are able to do,
    Even when wrong they are Right.

    You give a card to the Daddy you have,
    And not the one you’d like.
    You kiss the cheek of the momma you have,
    And not wish she wasn’t a dyke.
    You put your dongle in the port provided,
    And not where you want to stick it.
    You protest politely if at all,
    And don’t annoy us with your picket.

    You torture the prisoners ready to hand,
    And not the ones who did wrong.
    You charge and imprison those easy to nab,
    Especially should they sell bongs.
    You get in your bed with an Ambien pill,
    And not with a conscience that’s clear.
    You fill your head with the cocktail prescribed,
    And not with the now-proscribed beer.

    Even though you only go to church on the very rare Sunday,
    All the good and proper Christians can’t judge you anyway.

    Amen.

  9. Pope Impious XXIII Says:

    They say that the army takes good care of you
    Whether you are a Christian, agnostic or Jew

    A bed, a new suit, and three squares a day
    The army, it loves you (unless you are gay)

    Preventing diseases, smallpox or anthrax
    Our modern soldier, there€™s nothing he lacks

    But they€™re not quite as good with the soldier in town
    Not enough €˜armor€™ for what€™s going around

    Not the kind on the jeep (though that€™s certainly lacking)
    It€™s the kind for the weapon the men are all packing

    Abstinence only in this modern force
    No room for a condom, or educational course

    But without a cream, or a topical salve
    You go to war with what you have

  10. Barbara O'Brien Says:

    You go to war with what you have.
    You go with sticks and stones.
    You go with trumpet, flag, and stave;
    You go with flesh and bones.

    The danger€™s real, the Bushies spun.
    No questioning allowed!
    Go now, before the smoking gun
    Becomes a mushroom cloud!

    No time to waste! The pundits cried.
    No time for wimpy caution!
    Or soon we will be nullified
    By weapons of mass destruction!

    So now we€™re stuck in desert sand
    Short armor, food, and water.
    No time to prep, no time to plan,
    But plenty of time for slaughter.

  11. Robert Murphy Says:

    These are more lyrics, but what the heck.

    You go to war with what you have
    Attack the jackass right in front of you
    Never question what they ever did to you
    You know it€™s you or him
    Show some doubt and you€™re just throwing in the towel.

    No one ever said that life was fair
    So grab your shotgun and get on with it
    Blast some sense into the heathens and the hypocrites
    Given half the chance
    You know they€™d do the same damn thing to you.

  12. Matt Says:

    you go to war with the army you have
    you go to war with friends you wish to keep
    you go to war but find no easy salve
    for the bitter dreams that plague you in your sleep.

    you go to war and find it hard to come home
    to a place where suits bring conflicts to a head
    and send youngsters off to die alone,
    yet rest easy in their own embroidered beds.

    you go to war, and if you’re lucky, and come back,
    you find your country has just re-elected
    an unfeeling, idiotic, incompetant hack.

  13. ned Says:

    Rummy talks to the troops

    You go to war with what you have,
    Not what you€™d wish or want to.
    You just pretend the rationale€™s
    So clear you might have gone, too.

    Just disregard whatever facts
    Might undermine your credo,
    And act as if the war you chose
    Were somehow forced upon you.

    This could have been just awful, folks —
    That€™s how we prophesied it.
    The threat was hypothetical,
    But now we€™ve guaranteed it.

    The principle is sound, my friends.
    There€™s no need to repeat it:
    You can€™t exaggerate a threat,
    Then blithely fail to heed it.

    So please don€™t whine to me about your leg, young man —
    You really didn€™t need it.

  14. anonyMoses Says:

    “because I said”
    by anonyMoses

    You go to war with what you have
    You go to war with who you are
    You go to war
    You go to war
    You go to war because I said

    You go to war with hearts and minds
    You go to war with left behinds
    You go to war
    You go to war
    You go to war because I said

    You go to war with guns ablaze
    You go to war with purple haze
    You go to war with little boys
    You go to war with daddy’s toys
    You go to war without a care
    You go to war inside a chair
    You go to war
    You go to war
    You go to war because I said

    You go to war with what you are.

  15. Christopher Lee Says:

    flakes
    plaster pieces from ceilings
    as snow

    drifting now turning falling

    makes a carpet under my crunching boot

    he is here

    in a room upstairs
    his ulating children beg
    for his life

    but no one here speaks their ancient language

    we take the swollen wood stairs to the cramped
    up
    and he IS there, frozen in his terror
    looking at us owned
    and we have a sack for his head
    to make his shame more tasty

    on the way out
    I see a small trinket -
    a toy, really
    a carved shoe, like alladin’s little foot
    and I take it
    because
    I
    want
    it.

    You go to war with what you have
    you come back with more.

  16. MJS Says:

    hard is the stamp of my darkening horse
    loud are the boards that rumble below
    cold is the steel that burns in my hand
    just go to war with what you have

    far in the distance the man I kill
    lost in the moonlight eyes aflame
    wild running empty hands
    goes to hell with what he has

    strict are the ways of the temple priests
    heaven is barred with lightning swords
    god is drunk on the blood of the damned
    go to death with what you have

    the cloth is quality, the suit is fine
    the laughter clinks like champagne glass
    wives of the criminals smile like cheetahs
    go to the party with what you have

    the world is a morgue and a birthing mound
    death is the dancer, life is the sound
    take it all in, for it will pass
    go to dream with what you have

    +++

  17. Adam Ducker Says:

    It’s John Ashcroft and Don Rumsfeld…
    And Richard Cheney too.
    They yank on Bush’s puppet strings
    And see what he can do.

    Just falsify some documents…
    And Lie to start a war.
    Bring the third-world down to its knees…
    That’s what our army’s for.

    Rush to war for election year…
    The nation’s almost broke.
    You go to war with what you have…
    Our leadership’s a joke.

  18. cleek Says:

    Into the morgue, a truism strode
    Nobody turned to look
    “You go to war with what you have!”
    Eyes stayed closed, hands cold

  19. Shakespeare's Sister Says:

    You go to war with what you have,
    And I had dreams of glory,
    Now long replaced with nightmares
    And an all too familiar story.
    An army of one, I€™m a father and son,
    And a brother€”one of three.
    The army with which you€™ve gone to war
    Is replete with men just like me.

    You go to war with what you have;
    We were told we had the best.
    I strode into the combat zone
    With Kevlar on my chest.
    Some vehicles were armored well
    The rest good armor lacked.
    We scavenged for scrap metal, and
    Hoped we would not be attacked.

    You go to war with what you have,
    And we fought for proper protection.
    The enemy seemed a distant threat
    As we fought fatigue and infection.
    We fought the hunger gripping our guts,
    We fought against thirst, stress, and pain.
    We waited for rebels and roadside bombs
    And fought against going insane.

    You go to war with what you have,
    Your fears, your flaws, your charms.
    But in a moment, what you have can be lost;
    I gave up one leg and both arms.
    I gave up my innocence and any thought
    That war was no more than a game.
    You go to war with what you have
    And hope you come back the same.

  20. Mad Kane Says:

    You go to war with what you have.
    So what if you lose arms and calves,
    And whole men too and gals galore,
    Cause Bush and Don love waging war.

    You go to war despite the pain.
    You go because of leaders vain,
    Who care not what becomes of you.
    You’re fighting for a Prez unglued.

    You go to war though it is wrong.
    Your battle’s gone on way too long.
    You suffer pain and great despair,
    But George and Rummy just don’t care.

  21. julia Says:

    first you go to war
    with what you have and then
    they blow pieces off

  22. r@d@r Says:

    you go to war with what you have.
    you have to war with what you go.
    you war to have what you go with.

    go you with war! (what, have you to?)
    to war you go! (what have you with…?)
    to war with you! (…what go you have.)

    with war, you have what you go to.
    what war? you have to go with you.
    have war with you to go. what you?

  23. r@d@r Says:

    You stand in line at the unemployment office
    Go to the tape where many tired feet have stood
    To check in your pride in exchange for a spot in a
    War to be chosen - berated about the manner
    With which you have gone out to reap the harvest of
    What has been called the “Bush boom”, which to
    You seems more like a bust - and you
    Have mouths at home waiting to be fed, so

    You fill out all the forms and then you
    Go to the interviews in the gray offices
    To compete with the other chumps in the so-called
    War on Poverty - and why do they call it a war?
    With these people it’s always about war -
    What are they defending? Who is the enemy?
    You are the enemy - because you are not a
    Have.

  24. Just a Bump in the Beltway Says:

    Waxing Elephants
    The American Street founder, Kevin Hayden, is waxing lyrical these days. I missed this post when it was first put up, but caught a reminder earlier today. I will have a submission or two to this poetry contest. Kev tells…

  25. Just a Bump in the Beltway Says:

    It’s better than FreeCell
    The American Street founder, Kevin Hayden, is waxing lyrical these days. I missed this post when it was first put up, but caught a reminder earlier today. I will have a submission or two to this poetry contest. Kev tells…

  26. Harry Says:

    Scrounging through the spoils of war
    Finding scrap and little more,
    The soldier stood and faced the man
    Who answered from the speaker’s stand,
    “You go to war with what you have”

    Another man, in other ranks
    Facing guns and planes and tanks
    Sets a charge and turns away
    Another bomb, another day
    “You go to war with what you have”

    The President sets forth his case
    Claim victory while saving face
    The heavy cost is justified
    While bolstering our common pride
    “You go to war with what you have”

    In towns and cities through the nation
    Witnessing the same occasion
    Sons, daughters, husbands, wives
    Called to set aside their lives
    “You go to war with what you have”

  27. The Kudzu Files Says:

    Rhymin’ With Rumsfeld
    There’s a poetry contest in the blogosphere. The catch is, you have to use the phrase “You go to war with what you have.” Here’s my submission: Scrounging through the spoils of war Finding scrap and little more, The soldier…

  28. mataliandy Says:

    When war for nothing is the theme,
    You go to war with what you have.
    Then the body-bags come home.

    War, as a game of empire means
    You go to war with what you have.
    Sans allies, all alone.

    In an occupiers’ rose-strewn dreams,
    You go to war with what you have,
    But keep the body count unknown.

    Since there’s no plan - or so it seems,
    You go to war with what you have.
    Then the body-bags come home.

    Unsigned letters mocking stolen dreams.
    You went to war with what you had.
    Then the body-bags came home.

    You went to war with what you had,
    And so the body-bags come home.

  29. melior Says:

    if I know the answer,
    I’ll tell you the answer,
    and if I don’t, I’ll just respond.

    I don’t do diplomacy,
    don’t do predictions.
    I’m not into this detail stuff.

    you go to war with what you have
    and it’s hard, hard work.
    it’s untidy and cluttered, but even so
    it’s hard, hard work.

    if I said yes,
    that would then suggest
    that might be the only place

    where it might be done
    (are you listening son?)
    but that wouldn’t be accurate.
    it wouldn’t be accurate.

    there are known knowns;
    there are unknown knowns;
    there are some things we do not know.
    some things we just don’t know.

    you go to war with what you have
    and it’s hard, hard work.
    it’s untidy and cluttered, but even so
    it’s hard, hard work.

  30. Dawn Narramore Says:

    A Limerick For Donald Rumsfeld:

    To the troops, our Rummy doth gab
    His words, no consolation or salve
    Where is our armor?
    The troops they do ponder
    “You go to war with what you have.”

  31. Sarah Says:

    You go to war with what you have
    And because you have -nothing- you go to war
    And when the others have nothing too
    (what was it all for a dream a sleep a disquieted night)
    Victory comes all the while
    marching marching
    They hate us, don€™t you see?
    This is not new €œYou go to war with what you have€
    This phrase is a turn unending
    Like the circle of the sun burning holes into the pavement
    They hate us, they hate us
    Am I the only unblinded man left in the city?
    (cried Solomon)
    You go to war with what you have
    and loose that too.

  32. Ulricii Says:

    You go to war with what you have
    And say to war “Take all.”
    War comes to you with what it is
    And answers “Yes, I will.”

  33. oldwhitelady Says:

    You go to war with what you have
    and if you’re wounded, apply some salve.
    The docs will get you back on your feet
    so all the enemies you can meet
    will try to kill you again.

  34. MisterX Says:

    You go to war with what you have
    been inventoried with at birth.

    You might go home with less.
    It might be East, South, North and West of here.

  35. Doozer among Fraggles Says:

    Seargent Frugal

    The uniform’ll be just fine
    With a needle & thread and a little free time
    The boots too tight? just curl up your toes
    And push that helmet up off your nose

    Now those pockets and loops and snaps and rings
    Are all cleverly arranged for holding things
    Yeah, they’re all empty, don’t worry, Kid
    We lightened your load, that’s what we did

    We’ll look around, and find you a gun
    And bullets? Yes, but only one
    A pocket knife, a compass, some string
    And one of those Walkie Talkie things

    Ok, Kid, that’s almost it
    Just one more thing; your First Aid Kit
    A tin of Cloverine Brand Salve
    You go to war with what you have

  36. Nick Carraway Says:

    leaders lacking common sense
    prophets without honor
    stovepiped intelligence
    and humvees missing armor

    no war that we have had
    was ever fought like this
    with young mothers and ‘old’ men
    you go to war with what you have

  37. Guy La Roche Says:

    Fire in the hole, seventeen moles in a hole
    Wackety, wack, wack
    Onwards to Messopotamia,
    taken in a stroll

    Aluminum tubes and yellowcake
    Incubators cold babies make
    Attaboy! do not feel coy
    Shoving it up the hoi polloi

    This is nothing to abhor
    For with what you have,
    you must go to war

    Now the purse is bleeding
    Dissenters are seething
    And on discontent
    the soldiers are feeding

  38. Ugluks Flea Says:

    ‘You go to war with what you have’,
    he purred while popping the Crisco can.
    ‘You go to war with what you have’
    with blood and flesh of Americans.
    ‘You go to war with what you have’,
    like signature machines and no exit plans.
    ‘You go to war with what you have’,
    and yet love them all as best you can.

  39. Shaw Kenawe Says:

    “You go to war with what you have.”
    Old Rummy frowns and says this is the way
    To take Iraq, that’s what he craves–

    To save their people from the bloody wave
    of Islam, terrorists, of oil–he’ll say,
    “You go to war with what you have.”

    Crazy man, Rummy, cries do not cave!
    His nasty deeds, he thinks, the only way
    To take Iraq€”that’s what he craves–

    And keep the White House for the Chimpy brave,
    Not! But Rummy learns too late he shouldn’t say
    “You go to war with what you have.”

    Vain man, who gives men death, who brays
    Vainglorious lies, and worse things he’ll say,
    To take Iraq, that’s what he craves–

    An exalted place in history. Craven knave!
    Curse Rummy now with our fierce tears, this is no way
    To go to war with what you have!
    To take Iraq–a lousy thing to crave.

  40. cgeye Says:

    You go to war with what you have.
    You take the slap he gives you, and ease yourself to the ground,
    for his pleasure. You look at nothing else but his eyes
    and what they see, and accept the words he tells you,
    and ignore how far away they are from the truth.
    You eat the tainted food, and drink the pissed-in water,
    and hope that his flowery phrases for these
    will turn them into something better.

    What choice do you have? If you leave,
    there are so many others in line behind you,
    and behind them is the street, the jail,
    the place of even fewer privileges.
    At least you can pretend now is good. He says so.

    Soon you forget the troublesome words that represent
    being taken care of, being respected, being human. Soon
    you laugh at the pictures of those in pain; what do they know,
    compared to him? Those troublesome words are unfair, too complex:
    Those who remember them soon will no longer be here.

    Soon, you cut the chunks out of yourself he does not like.
    He no longer has to say it. He and his triumph
    in the eventual ease you find in destroying yourself:
    You go to war, with what you have.

  41. Tara Birch Says:

    A Rumsfeld Villanelle

    You go to war with what you have:
    old generals with older soldiers, brave.
    If it’s not enough that’s just too bad.

    The armor’s missing from the Armored Cav?
    Buck up boys! Now’s not the time to cave.
    You go to war with what you have.

    The grunts complain that they’ve been had?
    That extended call ups make them slaves?
    If they have it tough that’s just too bad.

    They may run out of bandaids, pills and salves.
    Some arms and legs you may not save.
    You go to war with what you have.

    You know damn well a few kids’ll be sad
    when their Mom or Dad go to their grave.
    But if they don’t make it that’s just too bad.

    Troops that bought body armor should be glad
    for all the tax cuts President Bush just gave.
    You go to war with what you have.
    If it’s not enough that’s just too bad.

  42. Alice Says:

    Rummy haiku

    You go to war with
    what you have - and I’ve enough
    armor for just me.

  43. Alice Says:

    Shrub haiku

    When poor, you go to
    war with what you have; if rich
    you don’t go at all.

  44. Scorpio Says:

    You are going to have one heck of a time deciding on the best. You go to write with what you have, and so many of you have talent.

  45. A Tabla Rasa Says:

    you go to war with what you have
    go tell that to the troops
    to whom you have introduced
    war as an economic activity
    with no conscience or morality
    what responsibility would you have
    you sancimonious secretary of defense
    have you no shame

  46. Mr. Murder Says:

    Lee’s poem. It hints at many consequences. It is about a theft of simply ornate things that are the interwoven ethnic fabric of any family. The things war takes no thing can ever make full and well.

  47. oldwhitelady Says:

    I pledge alligience to the flag
    you go to war with what you have
    and of the enemies that you bag
    innocents, and children included,
    don’t let your spirits sag
    for you’re on the side of God.

    Your superiors, they might nag,
    but you know they really care.
    You’re the hero and you’ll brag
    If you ever come home.

    You might feel your conscience lag
    for all those people you helped kill
    and maim - don’t have a crying jag.

    Too bad the people living there
    now lie dead, the smell and flies make you gag
    but your government still needs that oil.

  48. Doozer among Fraggles Says:

    Frugal’s Lament

    You go to war with what you have
    Said Sargeant Frugal
    Polishing his beloved Enfield
    Pity, though, he said
    We could use some field artillery
    Just a caisson or two
    And maybe a horse to pull them
    Would be nice

  49. thedarkbackward Says:

    you use the teevee
    your stale breath
    words
    your reflexive lies

    you give us things
    your hate poisoned
    gifts
    your wicked heart

    you share with us
    your autopen letter
    insincerity
    your fake grief

    you go to war
    with what you
    have -
    supplied by others

    you toss their lives
    away like cigarette
    stubs
    littering the roadside

    you use the refuse
    burger fipping crackers
    and
    big city niggers

    you know they’re abundant
    and after all
    who
    will miss them?

    Not you.

    Not you.

  50. nwgal Says:

    Dubya€™s Legacy

    How will we remember George
    When we€™re all old and gray–
    As the coward who hid on 9-1-1
    Or the hero of that day?

    What will be most oft€™ repeated
    from the boss of Andy Card?
    Will it be €œMake the pie higher!€
    Or €œGoverning is hard!€?

    And what of the conflict
    hatched on Pennsylvania Ave.?
    How will we look back at having
    gone to war with what we have?

    Will some day the word €œArbusto€
    be a synonym for €œbust€?
    Will we think his pals at Enron
    got a punishment that€˜s just?

    Will he be reviled for splitting the land
    into camps of red and blue?
    Or called the €œNew McCarthy€ for
    making debate taboo?

    And how €™bout science — will he be judged
    for giving much thought to that–
    besides €œBah, humbug, global warming,€
    And €œcreationism€™s phat!€

    I can€™t predict what will stand out
    From €˜0-1 to €˜0-4,
    Now that he thinks he€™s got a mandate
    to screw us for four more.

  51. ray Says:

    peace in our time

    In the dream I had

    bush cheney rumsfeld

    and condi were all

    that were left of the army

    and a few talk show

    hosts: hannity, boortz

    limbaugh and o€™reilly,

    and a few thousand elderly

    National Guard members,

    who cheated out of their

    retirement had no choice

    but to keep on fighting

    (hell most thought it

    was the same as WWII

    anyway€”senility will

    have its way, it’s true)

    And Ann Coulter of course

    was there too, shooting wildly

    at the backs of our deserting

    young troops, who were

    wearing signs that read:

    €˜You€™ve got to go to war

    with the army you€™ve got

    not the one you wish you had.€™

  52. Goat Boy Says:

    You.
    You go.
    It doesn’t seem right
    With a pack so light
    But you go.

    You go to
    War with people you don’t know
    (and can’t admit you don’t care for)
    Just you go to war.

    You go to war with
    Whatever reason we feel inclined to give
    Killing and dying is but a way to live
    So you go to war with what?

    You go to war with what you think or believe or feel.
    Go for hot meals and big wheels and a raw deal.
    You go to war with what you have.

    You go to war with the army you have.
    Shit in the other hand and see.

  53. limerick savant Says:

    “You go t’ war with [just] what you have,”
    Don Rumsfeld supplied as a salve;
    But there’s no denying,
    By under supplying,
    He went there with what he could halve.

  54. Tara Birch Says:

    Sorry for the 2nd post, but I revised my earlier entry a bit.

    A Rumsfeld Villanelle

    You go to war with what you have:
    old generals and older soldiers, brave.
    If it€™s not enough that€™s just too bad.

    The armor€™s missing from the Armored Cav?
    Buck up boys! Now€™s not the time to cave.
    You go to war with what you have.

    The grunts complain that they€™ve been had?
    Extended call ups make each a slave?
    If they have it tough that€™s just too bad.

    You may run out of bandaids, pills and salves.
    Some arms and legs you may not save.
    You go to war with what you have.

    You know damn well the kids€™ll be sad
    when their Mom or Dad go to their grave.
    But if they don€™t make it that€™s just too bad.

    Troops who bought body armor should be glad
    for the tax cuts President Bush just gave.
    You go to war with what you have.
    If it€™s not enough that€™s just too bad.

  55. limerick savant Says:

    Well if Tara is revising then so will I

    Misquoted

    €œYou go t€™ war with [just] what you have,€
    It is said Rummy offered this salve.
    But, when Don goes to war,
    It appears less is more:
    What he meant was it’s all he could halve.

  56. darren laine Says:

    they have no poems about sex.i dont understand cause tjats the best.they need more about drugs,it will make u give someone u dont like some love.having fun but still spooked.rolling so hard i had to puke.closed my eyes stomach still grawling hard.in back of my mind seems like a dance floor.this shit got control of me know.im shacking and hugging the ground.water falling off my head like niagra falls.i think i od someone make a 911 call.they lighting blunts trying to bring me down.nothing is going to work not even a pound.finally up and climbing the walls.so much entergy but yet i could still fall.