Poets are required
To communicate with brevity
To get a message over
With some synthesis and levity

But how am I to summarize
What I think this week means?
An epidemic’s coming
And we’ve thrown out the vaccines

Our blimp has got a great big rip
And no one brought the patches
Arsonists are on the loose–
We’re giving out free matches

It seems the sky is falling
While we’re walking under ladders
We’re looking for some eloquence
But every nabob nadders

The rough beast of the prophesies
Is slouching ever nearer
As we run around with scissors
And go smashing every mirror

The ship, alas, is sinking
And the passengers are wailing
Wouldn’t we all do better
If everyone starts bailing?

I say this with conviction
After little introspection
I don’t know where we’re going
But it’s in the wrong direction

The Congress must assert itself
And heed the people’s voices
Or in the next election
We’ll be making diff’rent choices

The consequences are extreme
We can’t afford mistakes
The car we’re in is driverless
It’s time to hit the brakes