Sonnet
I thought this was too political for the New England Shakespeare Festival's Annual Sonnet Contest (also, they're charging to enter this year). Their challenge was a sonnet on the theme of "The Dangers of Love".
The politicians' falsities which roil us
And cost our public servants public trust
Are not the sins of Caesar, but of Troilus:
Not public power-seizure; private lust.
If Caesar's spouse must be above suspicion,
So Caesar must, if just in private life;
The overwhelming odor of ambition
Smells sweet if he is faithful to his wife.
He may buy the country whole, and he may sell it; he
May lie to bring us into war, and then
Divide the spoils with his friends. Fidelity
Is all the Empire asks of public men.
When will we learn the time to make a fuss
Is when the party most deceived.....is us?
--NQ
The politicians' falsities which roil us
And cost our public servants public trust
Are not the sins of Caesar, but of Troilus:
Not public power-seizure; private lust.
If Caesar's spouse must be above suspicion,
So Caesar must, if just in private life;
The overwhelming odor of ambition
Smells sweet if he is faithful to his wife.
He may buy the country whole, and he may sell it; he
May lie to bring us into war, and then
Divide the spoils with his friends. Fidelity
Is all the Empire asks of public men.
When will we learn the time to make a fuss
Is when the party most deceived.....is us?
--NQ
posted by nightquill | 10:45 PM
2 Comments:
As a randomly selected feminist citizen, I believe that a politician who betrays his wife may be a poor husband, but if he does right by the larger citizenry he may still be a fine politician. A politician who betrays the U.S. citizenry is approximately 300 billion times worse in the balance.
OK, I should have said 300 MILLION times worse. But subjectively, 300 billion times worse works for me.
Post a Comment
<< Home