’Twas the Night Before Midterms

A Visit from Lady Liberty

’Twas the night before Midterms, and in the White House,
The POTUS was tweeting, asleep was his spouse.
The Senate was empty, the reps in their beds,
While visions of tax-cuts danced in their heads.

And I with my phone, to check posts from friends,
Then wandered the web to follow the trends.
My eyes they grew tired, for bed I got dressed,
I then settled down for a November rest —

When out in the harbor, arose such a clatter,
I leapt from my slumber to see what’s the matter.
I hurried along the dim streets to the port,
To discover what villain we would have to thwart.

When, what to my wondering eyes did I see?
But a colossal figure, her name Liberty.

To the sky blazed her torch, which shed holy soot,
Beneath her she shattered dark chains with her foot.
As she marched through the water, I felt her firm glare,
She climbed onto land, then into Times Square.

Her face was angelic, her crown it was beaming!
A titan so noble, I thought I was dreaming.
Her posture exalted, resolute was her jaw,
And her robe was as long as a skyscraper tall!

We assembled around her, the kids they were geeking,
She opened her mouth and then began speaking:

“Gather round me you tired, yearning to breathe free,
Come out of your homes and listen to me.
You must rise through the darkness, this racket, the din,
The political violence, this turmoil we’re in.

A rifle at worship? And bombs in the mail?
Two murdered while shopping, it’s making me ail!
A writer was slaughtered, his job to report,
And you can lie to the Senate and sit on the Court?”

Then she paused for a moment, her eyes burned with fire,
Her cheeks shone like justice, her voice like a choir.
She turned to implore us, and with noble tongue,
She started once more at the top of her lungs:

“By Susan B. Anthony, Ella J. Baker,
Dolores Huerta, and Fannie Lou Hamer!
For Rosa! Sojourner! And Helen A. Keller!
Get out to the polls, no matter the weather!

Get out to the polls, whatever you do!
And vote for the many, not just the few!
For freedom of worship, and no border wall,
May your children enjoy healthcare for all!”

As she was finished, it drew tears from my eyes,
Then she gently returned to the harbor that night.

But we heard through the silence, one last roar out of sight:
“Happy Midterms to all, now let’s make some things right!”

Written by Justin Zarb. All images public domain modified by author.