Racism in America

[munkinhead]

Child,
before Barack was president,
things were hard for black folks
and hippies.
After he led the socialists in
things got better.

They finally chased
the filthy capatilists
into the mountains.

There are still some of them there,
they say,
they have little booths
set up alongside the ruined
interstate highways
and they sell magic charms
and ancient armaments.

I heard that they sell
a little book
by a guy named Huckleberry Hound,
or something like that.
It is about negroes in space.
Real futuristic.

Anyways,
don't let the white trash upset ya,
someday YOU might go to the moon.
As if.

[PrinceMyshkin]

It's hard to make out where you stand. On the one hand you parody the right by referring to Obama's supporter's as "socialists;" on the other hand you seem to be spoofing the left by using cliched, over-the-top language like "filthy capitalists."

[Mutatis-Mutandis]

I'm with Myshkin. Kind of hard to peg where you stand--could go either way. That ambiguity makes it a bit fun for interpretation though. Judging by your avatar, though, I'd say you lean more to the right.

[deryk]

This is a great poem. I don't think it chooses a side, I think it's just ridiculous for its own sake.

L'art pour l'art absurdity with a political texture to fishhook us?

That's downright... artistic.

[deryk]

It's hard to make out where you stand. On the one hand you parody the right by referring to Obama's supporter's as "socialists;" on the other hand you seem to be spoofing the left by using cliched, over-the-top language like "filthy capitalists."

You should have taken into consideration that it might have been "over-the-top" on purpose.

Sometimes it's apt to use a cliche knowing the reader will think of it as such. Meaning, I think he's lampooning the reader.

But I'm reading it as a strictly absurdist poem with no real political affiliation and my interpretation could be incorrect.

I think "magic charms" and "ancient armaments" gives the real intent away. I read this as being evangelism and modern warfare.


Also, the obvious Twain reference made me laugh. It's just making fun of our stereotypes, I don't think there's any ill will here.