America The Dutiful

By: Vi Ransel - poem also published at Thomas Paine's Corner

After the Great Depression
the Rich had the impression
we were ripe for revolution.
Their solution? A New Deal.

But this "gift" they gave us
was merely to enslave us
temporarily amaze us
'til they could tear that mother down.

After World War Two
they gave us credit.
Did it work on us?
You bet. It's
worked so well we're
all in debt up to our ass.

We got little Levitt
mockups of their mansions,
sprawling highway expansion...