"Two wrongs may not make a right but a thousand wrongs make a writer.”

Tuesday, January 10, 2012

GOD LOVES TEXAS

They want to write Thomas Jefferson out of history.
Delete him like a dark chapter
from the annals of American History.
He who coined separation of church and state
is a sword in the side of self-proclaimed historians
who bleed, but not of wine.

The Dark Ages weren’t as dark
as the house the Texas Board of Education wants to build.
With the buying power to control content,
America’s children will read what
they want them to read.

They soften the image of McCarthy—
His motives were pure.
Jefferson for McCarthy.
There’s only so much room.
Motives justify methods
because God loves Texas.

To defame a person,
first misspell his last name.
Sow seeds of doubt.
Rearrange his words and cast credit elsewhere
Remove Monticello from travel guides
and besmirch the gardens—
the vegetables he grew,
amazed at the temperate zone of a new world.

While at it,
rearrange the heads of the founding fathers,
Was that really John Hancock’s John Hancock?
Like the 12 apostles at the dinner table,
Mary Magdalene in the shadows.
Misquote Paine to fortify your position.
Who will bother to verify?

Purge American History of he who dared to separate
the church from the state.
As if one could take guns from the righteous
guards from the gate
inmates from their prison.
God out of Texas

10 comments:

Anthony Duce said...

Great poem. Couldn’t agree with you more. I wish in a way this craziness was only happening in Texas.

Yvonne Osborne said...

Thank you Anthony. Unfortunately, it effects all of us.

Maude Lynn said...

This is really good. You're right; because of the size of its market, what Texas demands, Texas gets.

Yvonne Osborne said...

Mama Zen,
Yes, coupled with the consolidation of textbook publishing, this is what we're left with. Thanks so much for commenting.

Jayne said...

So powerful, Yvonne. McCarthy's motives were pure!

Wonderfully done. :)

Yvonne Osborne said...

Jayne,
Thank you so much! I know. When I heard that, it gave me a chill. I hestitated writing this, but something made me do it.

g-man said...

Maybe they had a thing against Sally Hemmings?
Missed you today Yvonne.... G

Yvonne Osborne said...

G-Man,
I'm sure they do. Maybe I can condense this next week into a mere 55 words, or maybe it's better left alone. She was a beautiful woman. Who knows. Many of our best leaders were hot blooded, smoked and drank and were fully alive in the moment. Better that than a self-righteous gun-loving prig of a bible thumper.

Fowl Ideas said...

Sounds very Orwellian.

Yvonne Osborne said...

Fowl Ideas,
I take that as a compliment! Thanks for stopping by and dropping me a tweet!