Two poems by Jennifer Lagier

Mean

 

Migrant kids at the border are being denied soap, medical care, toothbrushes and blankets, but Melania is determined to better the lives of white kids throughout the country.  – Red Painter, Crooks and Liars

 

Taking a page from the Herman Goering playbook,
racist-in-chief promotes increased immigration sweeps,
mass detentions, family separations, infants and children
stuffed into private concentration camp cages
denied medical treatment, toothbrushes, blankets.

As contractors rake in the dough,
Fox & Fiends spin reality,
parrot conspiracy theory sound bites,
rationalize crimes against humanity, assert
“You can’t have a Hyatt on the border.”

While Individual 1 panders
to Neo-Nazi wet-dreams of sadistic power,
sick babies cower under tinfoil covers,
sleep on concrete, cry for their mothers.
Tone-deaf Melania dismisses cruelty,
announces a new illiterate slogan:
Be Best Ambassadors to Improve Lives of Children.

..

Full of Trash

“It’s like Barr summarized the ‘Twilight’ novels as ‘a girl in Florida goes to third base with a wookie’.” – John Oliver

We’re living in the upside-down universe.
It’s what you get when you cross corrupt with stupid,
add a soupcon of self-righteous smugness,
enlist the aid of Christian fundamentalist trolls.

A two year, multi-million-dollar investigation reveals
criminals saved from prosecution by incompetence
assisted by disobedience, disorganization.
Malfeasance gleefully French kisses cancerous evil.

Cheeto-in-chief’s fluffer issues a four-page fake summary,
visits various talking head “news” shows
to perform mandatory ass-kissing
in an attempt to distract rumbling voters.

Power-hungry repugs take a victory lap,
celebrate democracy’s dismantlement
as brain-washed sycophants chorus
“No collusion. Total exoneration.”

..

Jennifer Lagier has published sixteen books and in a variety of anthologies and literary magazines, taught with California Poets in the Schools, edits the Monterey Review, helps coordinate Monterey Bay Poetry Consortium Second Sunday readings. Recent publications: Harbinger Asylum, The Rockford Review, Syndic Literary Journal, From Everywhere A Little: A Migration Anthology, Fire and Rain: Ecopoetry of California, Missing Persons: Reflections on Dementia, Silent Screams: Poetic Journeys Through Addiction and Recovery. Newest books: Camille Mobilizes (FutureCycle Press) and Trumped Up Election (Xi Draconis Books). Website: jlagier.net Facebook:www.facebook.com/JenniferLagier/