SCRITTURA WEDNESDAY POETRY PROMPT
Politics or Pathology?
Disturbing parallels
I apologize at the outstart to those I offend. Politics can be so divisive.
Years ago I came to believe that many highly successful politicians and many high functioning people with sociopathy have much in common. Charisma is one factor. Intelligence is another. The ability to manipulate others is a biggy. Willingness to sacrifice other humans to the service of personal ambition is there also. The desire for adulation to maintain an oversize ego is a major drive. Let’s not forget lying as well.
In politics, these characteristics express themselves across the spectrum from conservative to liberal, reactionary to progressive. The drive to power for its own sake is not restricted to any one faction.
I do believe there are good politicians devoted to public service. The problem is differentiating between those who sincerely want to serve us and those who want to hypnotize us. Charisma serves to blind us to other, more important indicators of character.
In August of ’23 I published the following poem on my own Medium page, to vent my cynicism. It was also published in Substack the same month and in a copy edition last week.
Political Haikoids
and other absurdities
Politicians are
consummate liars who make
shit smell like flowers,
drawing us to reach
fearful conclusions, to suck
poison like nectar,
toxins running through
our minds, deceiving us ‘til
truth is alien,
falsehood appealing,
fear driving us to voting
booths, panic ruling,
tyrants holding sway,
extinguishing flames of truth,
perverting our minds.
~ Wry Welwood,
August 2023
(I use the term “haikoid” to differentiate my use of the syllable count from Japanese haiku, an age-old poetic form which has many thematic and other requirements.)
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So, fellow poets, I assume there is a large variety of views and beliefs among us, regarding the virtues and iniquities of politicians. What is your take navigating the thorny vines of politics? Many of you most likely have a more positive opinion of those committed to our service than I have expressed. Others may lean more in my direction.
On election days, most of us feel obliged to do our best to make our voices count, in a constrained manner. This prompt is an opportunity to be more expansive. Write a poem expressing your views on politics and politicians. No matter how heated you may become in the writing, avoid hate speech, notwithstanding my own use of invective.
Follow Scrittura guidelines, including Scrittura, poetry or type of poetry and prompt in your topics. Include a boxed link to this page, and please tag me.
I look forward to reading your views, siblings in ink. Dialogue between divergent perceptions need not be alienating.
~ Wry Welwood,
August 2024.
Tagging:
Audrey Howitt Aaron Quist Kevin E. Pittack Jr. Zay Pareltheon Viraji Ogodapola Marilyn J Wolf Samantha Lazar Mia Verita Pamela J. Nikodem, MSED Agnes Laurens Agnes Chan。阿詩疑亭🧕🏼✍🏽 A.j Thomas Alex Tiu Alice Armour Altus Amy Jasek Amy L. Bernstein Ana Maria Irueste-Montes Angelina Der Arakelian Annine Massaro Ann Marie Steele Anthony David Vernon Anna Rozwadowska Jam | Creative Bahora Saitova BJ Dawson Ben Human Betsy Denson Suntonu Bhadra Bob Metivier Victoria Ponte Brian S. Hook Caitlin Rebecca Camille Fairbanks Caroline Mellor Charlene Marron Cheryll MV Chris Mooney-Singh Joao Coimbra Connie Song D. Abboh Danielle Loewen Daniel Bhakti Rosy Rane Darryl Willis Dewain Belgard Dennett Dermott Hayes Destiny S. Harris Dylan Skurka Eddie Becker Enne Baker Ema Dumitru Ed Newman Era Garg Erika Burkhalter Evan Wildstein Filza Chaudhry Christina M. Ward Gary Chapin Geetika Sethi Alex Guenther Harley Bell Hawkeye Pete Egan B. Iain Lenninski Ian Cunnold IMΛBӨПG FΛMIПЦ Imad Ilaria Mangiardi Jade Willow Jaswanisarika Winifred J. Akpobi Jaylee Reign Jay Sizemore Jeff Langley J.L. Littlejohn Jenine “Jeni” Baines Jennifer Dodge Jenny Justice Jeremy McKay Joe Luca Joseph Lieungh Josh E. Josh Lonsdale just a twenty something Kate-lynne Pigg Katrina Bos km. rowe Kirk Albert Alexander Keith R. Higgons Kristin Doherty Kyla Sawyer laksh Laurie Perez Lennie Varvarides Wry Welwood Lisa Marie Simmons Ludovico Leone Mahnoor Mai Yamamoto Natalie Wilkinson Marcus Chan Margie Pearl Mary Jones Mary L. Holden Melissa Rodriguez Mark Tulin Michael Centrone Mike Scarpiello Debbie Miller Mimi Bordeaux Breathe & Be Still Sally A Mortemore M.T. Pariti Niki Madore Nilla Chen Jonah Angeles Pablo Pereyra Vaishali Paliwal Paroma Sen Patrick M. Ohana Paul Mulliner Penny Grubb Patrick Metzger Alistair J. Kraft Lindsay Soberano Wilson Rachel K. Ravyne Hawke Sean Zhai Rhonda Marrone Somsubhra Banerjee Shringi Kumari Suzanne V. Tanner Shiraz Zafar Hussain Sydney Duke Richey Margaret’s Reflections I am not a Robot Kira Dawn Theophilus Auctor Thomas Plummer Theodore McDowell Tree Langdon Fox Kerry Upen Singh Willow Schroeder Vic Spandrio Skye Nicholson Winslow Thornhill Carlo Zeno Evelyn Jean Pine Masha Zubareva Pseu Pending (Seu) John Newmark Zach J. Payne Crooked Timber Linda Sharp Kait Leonard Astral Escapes ∞ Jeff Burton Brother Bhunru Kensu Ridge Ryan Janise Jona Daye Anu Anniah Obinna Uruakpa Jessica Lee McMillan Barsha Kar Rui Alves Nikita Joshi Joel R. Dennstedt Katherine Myrestad Andy Lammers AVG Alicia Casner chel writes Sana Sparks Matt Youth Cat Strav Jay Squires Uzaifa Memon Arka Ghosh Fiona Guest Anish Bhattacharyya Tariq Ulixes Hawili Edward Swafford Amanda Weir-Gertzog Arushi Sahu Charles Source Loddie Foose, Claire Kelly Emmanuel Ogamdi Mykel Vinitha Dileep A.M. Goode Helen Jesse Wilson Tiffany A Krista Lisa Fouweather Ann Mary Alexander Mahin Alexandra Axente Brian Throne 𝐡.𝐚.𝐥𝐚𝐢𝐧𝐞 Snehalsaju Aurelia Bliss Nitin Dangwal Lovely Poems M.A. Sonncraft Ashish Jha Sam Grackle Yong Kim Marie Cadette Pierre-Louis🇭🇹❤️💞 Daphne Sampson Jesse Sheppard Bakliterati Xine Segalas keri maureen Sherry Atkinson Vesselin Danchev Quy Ma K A Simran Thaddeus Jenny Blue Matthew J. Koehler Vincent F. A. Golphin Blessing O Swathi Rao Stevenharrison Cathryn Moore Elizabeth Hilsch Esme Raine Harlow Stacey Patterson, J.D. Kayla Jean Effner J.D. Harms Cecile Gerwel Proches Soheil Erfani Tabar Joe Glacken Sheri Jacobs Moonpie Regina Edmunds (aka Jean Edmonds) Maisie Archer Ruth Boukhari StartledEgg Marilyn Flower
