NaPM April 11, 2017

[RiverNotch]

myth of the strongman



a leader must be strong
like a man, like a woman
never can, his arms and legs
must be long and his eyes must squint
at every little thing that passes him, oh every
evil little thing will pass him, he's a hero, he's another
Heracles in the making, his stepmother hates him and he's strong
when he enters the stage and savors applause and brags about chokeholding death
for the life of the nation, when he makes like a rabid three-headed dog and barks
like he means it, his role is to mean
like he hates and hates and his heart
is hated by anyone who speaks against him, who tells him
your lyre is bad or your speech is bad or
Heracles Heracles you've gone mad,
he knows wives can be replaced
like leaders never can

myth of the strongman


a leader must be strong
like a man, like a woman
never can, his arms and legs
must be long and his eyes must squint
at every evil little thing that passes him, oh every
evil little thing will pass him, he's a hero, he's another
Heracles in the making, his mother hates him and he's strong
only in the things that really matter, only when he opens his mouth
and enters the stage to claim he choke-held death
for the life of his nation -- and not when he treats with the women in his life,
not when he goes out to keep his wife, his role is to rage,
his role is to make like a rabid three-headed dog and speak
like he means it, his role is to mean
like he hates and hates and his heart
has no room for love, has no room for softness
but for the muscles that compose it, but for the wine
that eternally flows, the venom of the snakes, and the blood
of his wife and children drying.