Suzanne Osborne
ABCs of Politics
Accountability is this year’s prime
Buzz word, but by what hopeful
Calculus does that
Denote any serious, public
Engagement with truth-telling?
Facts are thin on the
Ground, pointed questions elicit
Harrumphs that anyone can
Interpret any old way, making a
Joke of the whole effort to
Know who did what when, or to
Link personal gain to professional
Misdeeds. Was a donor’s son given a
No-show job? Oh, no, he was seen in the
Office on June 3rd for at least 20 minutes.
Public trust, never robust, has perished.
Questionable deals are swept under the
Rug, wrongdoing denied with a
Smirk. Caught with your hand in the
Till? No prob, just say you’re checking
Up on the accountants, no need to
Verify further, my friends,
Wink, wink. The peasants don’t need
X-ray vision to see the pols partying on their
Yachts. It’s clear the chances for change are
Zero.
Suzanne Osborne‘s work has appeared most recently in Front Range Review, District Lit, and The Healing Muse. After an early career in theater, a stint in academia, and many years as a legal secretary, she now lives in Queens and write poetry.