Some background stuff, originally posted elsewhere...

To The Clueless Dead (for Hillary)

Is this not the stuff of many thousand
trite and boring gothic sophomore fictions:
unknowing dead still carry on their missions,
clueless how it disrupts, it offends
those yet alive? Those post-mortals must --
must! be informed -- but by whom? By whom,
indeed? Who shall bare the awful gloom,
who shall tell the bees? If only dust
and ash alone were the remains of airs
and hopes and schemes of dead ones walking...
Still, and still again, they keep on talking!
What exorcist shall excise this affair?
Still they carry on despite our wishes.
These are not the stuff of loaves and fishes.

"The Broader Base"

“I have a broader base to build a coäl-
lition on… Barack’s losing support…
among working Americans…” Reports
be damned, the Senator cites polls
that state his base “is weakening again,
and how whites in both states who had not comp-
leted college were supporting…” Some
argument, perhaps, but little sane
reflection to be seen. All wisdom says
Hill has no reasoned hope to pull much out
of six more states; the delegates all doubt
her chances to be ever called Ms. Prez.
Methinks the “broader base” is getting thin…
Too much of saying anything to win.

Super Tuesday II: Aftermath (6 May 2008)

"She has run a valiant campaign…
She will remain an influential voice…”
You note, of course, McGovern’s modest choice
and elegiac tones; how he would rain
down words of his undying love and great
regard for both the Clintons. He held out
the palm so many ways. Yet no doubt
clouded his sad news: the hour is late,
and the dove of reconcilia-
tion will not stand for yet another ploy;
that others, truly, earned the votes, so joy
is theirs. You’ve had your chance. Silence, pray.
Hillary plods on. Pandarus failed;
has her campaign’s last boat finally sailed?

On the eve of Second Super Tuesday
(To Keith Olbermann) 4 May 2008

Should Hill’ry not exist, would you invent
For us some Hecuba, some demon goddess,
As locus of your rage? Pray tell, who sent
Around the memo blaming all this mess
On the junior senator from West-
Chester? Tell us true, has not Barack
At some point in his wise and oh-so best
Conducted campaign taken some new stock
Of fading polls and fleeing fleeting votes
And changed his mind, or changed position,
Climbed down, like Zarathustra, checked his notes,
And thought, perhaps, to get a new physician?
Not! And not again! The wise ones scoff.
Should Hill’ry’s win tomorrow, hear them cough!