Poem: A Certain Ring

Governmental sleight-of-hand is the topic and this was written long before the Bush administration, so don't blame me for that.

A Certain Ring Finding a name for sleight-of-hand     that sounds like something else,     sounds like careful thought     and like balance     with the sound of fairness thrown in,     perhaps sounds like apple-sauce Yes, that’s it, we’ll call it applesauce Finding a name for expediency     that will let us off the hook     and never show our shame     A way to toe the party-line     that flows rich and slow, like honey Yes, that’s it, we’ll call it honey-time Finding a name for what we do     and mostly do not do,     yet calls to mind our heritage     and marches well to bands     That sounds and feels like government Yes, that’s it, we’ll call it government Applesauce honey time government It has a certain ring

This poem is included in Jim Freeman's poetry collection BROKEN PIECES available here in print or as an e-Book in your favorite formats.