Monday, June 21, 2010

Franklin D and Barack H..............have times really changed


This poem was sent to me by a friend who found it in their great grand father's attic....

The Devil’s Dilemma
A stranger stood at the gates of HELL
And the devil himself had answered the bell.
He looked him over from head to toe,
And said, “My friend, I’d like to know
What you have done in the line of sin
To entitle you to come within?”
Then Franklin D. with his usual guile
Stepped forth and flashed his toothy smile
“When I took charge in thirty three
A nation’s faith was mine,” said he.
“I promised this and I promised that
And I calmed them down with a fireside chat.
I spent their money on fishing trips
And I fished from the decks of their battle ships.
I gave them jobs on the PWA
THEN raised their taxes and took it away.
I killed their pigs and burned their crops,
I double crossed both old and young
And still the fools my praises sung.
I brought back beer and what do you think
I taxed it so high they couldn’t drink.
I furnished money with government loans
When they failed to pay I took their homes.
When I wanted to punish the folks you know
I’d put my wife on the radio.
I’d pay them to let their farms lie still
And imported food stuffs from Brazil.
I curtailed crops when I felt real mean
And shipped in corn from Argentine.
When they’d start to worry, stew and fret
I’d get them chanting the alphabet.
With the AAA and the CCC, the PWA and the NLB.
With these many units I got their goats
And still I crammed it down their throats.
My workers worked with the speed of snails
WHILE the taxpayers gnawed their finger nails.
When the organizers needed dough
I closed the plant for the CIO.
I ruined jobs and ruined health
And I Put the screws on the rich man’s wealth.
And some who couldn’t stand the gaff
Would call on me and how I’d laugh.
When they got too strong on certain things
I’d pack and head for old Warm Springs.
I ruined their country, their homes and then
I placed the blame on “Nine Old Men”
Now Franklin talked both long and loud
And the Devil stood, and his head he bowed.
At last he said, “Let’s make it clear
YOU’LL have to move, you can’t stay here.
For once you mingle with this mob
I’ll have to hunt myself a job.

2 comments:

  1. Excellent and fascinating. Thanks for sharing!

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  2. An epic poem, worthy of Dante himself. May be your friend can find the sequel in his great grandfather's attic. Its called Delano's Inferno.

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