Our nation had been duped by Trump
The political wizard with a big rump
Fully engaged with the haves, ignoring the have nots
It seems he has a most intricate plot
A runaway train unable to stop
The yellow brick road has led to an ivory tower
It was once the white house
Believe me, I'd rather have a Bush or Clinton
Carter, Obama or Lincoln
We would have a greater chance
Than this Mad Hatter and his tragic stance
His idea of "making us greater" simply means
He longs to be a dick-ta-tor
Taking away programs to help those in need
Taking away jobs from families
Indeed, his pockets are full
He spewed lots of bull
Bringing racism back from life support
A jester with a political court
Could it be our democracy has become a global joke?
I can only hope that I awaken from this nightmare
Can we elect someone who will at least care?
Are you somewhere out there?
I am not Dorothy nor I desire applause
I'm simply an American, trying to wake up
From the Divided States of OZ
From: Uptown Déjà Vu
Summary
“Divided States of OZ” by Jimmie Ware is a poem centered on social justice, nature, travel and movement. The poem develops its subject through recurring images and shifts in emotional pressure rather than reducing the experience to a single statement.
Analysis
Voice
A personal, first-person speaker combines recollection with direct emotional address.
Style and form
The poem is line-driven, first-person. The poem moves by accumulation: images, references, and tonal turns build on one another, so meaning emerges from their relationships as much as from narrative sequence.
Themes and imagery
Its strongest thematic currents include social justice, nature, travel and movement. Concrete images give those abstractions physical weight, while changes in diction and pace keep the poem from settling into a single emotional register.
Reading the poem
A productive way to read “Divided States of OZ” is to watch how its images change function as the poem progresses. Details that initially establish scene or memory become emotional evidence. The result is a poem whose argument is carried through association, rhythm, and image as much as through explicit statement.
Explore this poem
Source & rights
Source: Uptown Déjà Vu
Rights: Copyright controlled by the rights holder. Published here with permission.