Red Caesarism: Parodies of Trump’s Verities
A parody using ‘Anne Rutledge’ a poem by Edgar Lee Masters (1868-1950). Found in Spoon River Anthology.
TRUMP the TWIT FULL OF SPIT
A GOOGOLPLEX OF LIES
From me an unknown number of lies
The very essence of my being
With malice towards all, charity for none
From me expulsion of all migrants
Ridiculing the military heroes of war
And bringing disgrace to our nation
Scamming and avoiding justice and truth
I am Donald J Trump, King of Mar-a-Lago
Avoided in life by all living US presidents.
Obsessed with myself and more money
My prevarication will live on forever!
My tweets filled with twit and twaddle
My mouth denigrates the living and dead
My life an egregious googolplex of lies.
What follows are two parodies of William Shakespeare’s Sonnet 29. Here are its first two lines and last two lines:
“When in disgrace with fortune and men’s eyes
I all alone beweep my outcaste state, …
… For thy sweet love remembered such wealth brings
That then I scorn to change my state with kings.”
Was W.S prescient about DJT or what? My parodies:
WHEN IN DISGRACE WITH FAKE NEWS…
When in disgrace with fake news and lying media’s eyes
I throw childish temper tantrums about my outcast state
I grow bald and round and tell many more lies
Too blind with presidential power to ascertain my fate.
Wishing only for more golf games and riches I hope
to use my smarts, the stable genius that only I possess
conspiring with V. Putin and Russian oligarchs scope
What I enjoy most is being on my own golf course.
Despite my being so smart some are still despising
instinctively I think of me and my Secretary of State
with the price of Middle East oil per barrel then rising
from Saudi Arabia up to the Northern Arctic Gates
liquid largesse for me increasing my wealth and bling
that then I know I am,‘Believe Me’ an American King.
My PRESIDENCY in DISGRACE in the Nation’s Eyes
My Presidency in disgrace in the nation’s Eyes
I all alone tweet my utterly confused state
and trouble the generals with baby boy cries
so sad I’m not bigly making America great.
Wish I was like that man from a place called Hope
Articulate like him, a policy wonk and computer nerd
Desirous and jealous of his ability to speak and cope
Instead, I belittle and insult others with every word
Yet in these thoughts filled with self-loathing
I think of money and how much I’m making
and obstinately fold my arms inside my clothing
continuing bombastic demagoguery and faking.
For bling and bucks remembered on this occasion
dispel thoughts of going to prison for tax evasion.
(these two appeared in the Saipan Tribune 04/30/2018.)
Joey aka “Pepe Batbon” Connolly is a retired educator who taught in the CNMI, NOLA, and LVNV. He is the Poet Laureate of Tinian and enjoys stargazing.
