Friday, March 20, 2009

Henry K., Man of Peace: A Poem by J. Patrick Lewis


Just a few days after I launched Political Verses, the talented and prolific children’s poet J. Patrick Lewis emailed me about my new solo blog. A most generous man, J. Patrick even sent along some of his own political verses. He offered them to me for posting here. I was thrilled.
J. Patrick Lewis


Today, I have a poem he wrote about Henry Kissinger several years ago.


Henry K., Man of Peace
by J. Patrick Lewis
“Since Henry Kissinger won the Nobel Peace
Prize, nothing seems funny anymore.”

Tom Lehrer, on why he stopped writing
and performing comic songs.

I’m Henry K. of the White House corps.
When they whispered PEACE, I shouted WAR!
Hell, that’s what Nixon paid me for.
The body count? Who’s keeping score?
I’m an Intullek-chew-wool.

I’m the World Gone MAD Custodian.
My goals were Don Quixotean,
My windmills were Cambodian.
I bombed ‘em! No more toadyin’.
I’m an Intullek-chew-wool.

I’m the biggest, slowest talking head
To monopolize the old Op-Ed.
I’m well-off, well-endowed, well-read,
And first in line at the paper-shred.
I’m an Intullek-chew-wool.

[A Note from J. Patrick Lewis: This poem first appeared in LIGHT QUARTERLY,
Winter 2002-2003. All rights are mine. JPL]



What some of you may not know: J. Patrick Lewis is a writer of light verse for adults. Many of his humorous poems have appeared in Light Quarterly. Here are links to some of those poems :

Thanks, Pat, for granting me permission to post your poem here!



********************


Here are links to two of my original poems that I posted at Political Verses this week: Winnie the Pooh-Bah and the Hundred Acre Wood: A Poem about Rush Limbaugh and Bernie Made Off with My Money.


I’m doing the Poetry Friday Roundup at Wild Rose Reader today. Please leave the URL of your poetry post and a short description of it in the comments at my special Roundup Post.


6 comments:

  1. I'd like to read more political verse on blogs so this is a treat. Thank you.

    ReplyDelete
  2. I read this out loud to D., and he was quite, quite taken with it. J. Patrick Lewis is a man of many poetic talents.

    This site, Elaine, is amazing.

    ReplyDelete
  3. Fabulous. I'm with Tanita, too, about loving this site. Are there others like it? I'm curious. Love it!

    ReplyDelete
  4. Elaine,
    This is great. I'll visit often. BTW Have you seen Goodnight Bush :)?

    ReplyDelete
  5. Tanita,

    Yes, J. Patrick is definitely one of our most gifted writers of light verse for both children and adults.


    Suasn & Jules,

    I don't know if there are other blogs that post political verses/poems. If you come across any, sends me the links

    ReplyDelete
  6. Nandini,

    Thanks. I'm glad you'll be returning. I bought several copies of GOODNIGHT BUSH. I gave some of them away as gifts.

    ReplyDelete