{1_01} "The [fun is] over, and he's gone to church,"

{1_02} a minion says of Eastwood in "Joe Kidd"

{1_03} as I flip channels -- not in vain -- to search

{1_04} for clever op'ning lines to pop the lid ...

 
{1_05} ... of this week's box of verse. That film line hits

{1_06} a note some may be humming after all

{1_07} the scripture I've been spouting. "Hope he quits

{1_08} that preaching 'fore his Nielsen ratings fall."

 
{1_09} I hear you thinking, though it's quite a joke

{1_10} to ponder ratings for a sonnet patch

{1_11} that's sprouted 'mongst the weeds to take a poke

{1_12} at ev'rything -- poetic shooting match ...

 
{1_13} ... with "LIFE ON EARTH" as "they" claim it to be.

{1_14} What shall Boke bap tonight? Stay tuned; Let's see.

{2_01} THE NEWS: The "Partial BIrth" foes have prevailed

{2_02} (at least in Congress / Dubya's rubber stamp).

{2_03} The "Christian Right" is crowing they've derailed

{2_04} the evil "Pro Choice" train: Red signal lamp.

 
{2_05} "PRO LIFE" (backed by a 'Christian' president

{2_06} and by abortion-clinic terrorists)

{2_07} "will set God's words, and firmly overprint

{2_08} all lib'ral laws." They shout with cross-gripped fists.

 
{2_09} They've framed the battle as LIFE versus DEATH --

{2_10} assuming "we all know" that LIFE is best.

{2_11} And "since we know" that God's own holy breath

{2_12} blows in "LIFE's" favor, "we should know" the rest.

 
{2_13} They act like "LIFE" is something Jesus praised.

{2_14} Their choice of "LIFE," tonight, be reappraised.

{3_01} "PRO LIFE" in Christian mouths is BULLSHIT prime.

{3_02} A fetishizing of what Christ dismissed

{3_03} if what you're talking 'bout is WORLDLY TIME.

{3_04} IF YOU LOVE LIFE on earth, then you have missed ...

 
{3_05} ... the point Christ made in Mark 8:35.

{3_06} And in John chapter 6, verse 63.

{3_07} Yes, clever hermenuticists can jive

{3_08} most any line with what they want to see.

 
{3_09} But "PRO LIFE" Christians don't quote Christ at all.

{3_10} Especially his words that might upend

{3_11} this world, as is: They squeeze God in a ball

{3_12} of human rationality -- defend ...

 
{3_13} ... all slaughter to protect the sacred LIFE

{3_14} of unborn babes, Americans, their wife.

{4_01} So take that "PRO LIFE" BULLSHIT down to hell

{4_02} and savor it with Satan, deadly prince

{4_03} of life's time dispensation -- Hear the knell

{4_04} to summon those on hell's side of the fence ...

 
{4_05} ... for celebration of Osama's crime

{4_06} and Dubya's demons' joyous ante up.

{4_07} As Satan smiles -- his projects all on time.

{4_08} YES, "PRO LIFE" CHRISTIANS, pour a steaming cup ...

 
{4_09} ... of blood from innocents you have destroyed

{4_10} by your world-loving BULLSHIT and your votes

{4_11} supporting demon candidates deployed

{4_12} as if they were Christ's sheep, not Satan's goats.

 
{4_13} While visiting hell's table, look around

{4_14} at all the other "Christians" you have found.

{5_01} "BUT WHAT ABOUT the unborn lives we spare?"

{5_02} they say escaping out hell's kitchen door.

{5_03} You mean those would-be humans without hair,

{5_04} or breath, or what makes humans "something more"?

 
{5_05} A THOUGHT EXPERIMENT. Imagine this:

{5_06} A human baby born, but fast asleep.

{5_07} Imagine 60 years like that -- they miss

{5_08} all loving interaction. Not a peep ...

 
{5_09} ... 'till one day, "IT" wakes up. "WHO" would that be?

{5_10} Do human cells a human being make?

{5_11} This human-shaped thing is a tragedy,

{5_12} but not a human being now awake.

 
{5_13} (I don't expect that case to change the minds

{5_14} of those with their heads wedged up their behinds.)

{6_01} I've split my argument along two roads

{6_02} (or three, or four, depending how you steer).

{6_03} Not truly "arguments," but rather goads

{6_04} to make you jerk the wheel -- from ruts jump clear.

 
{6_05} The media-induced ruts that constrain

{6_06} the possibilities democracy

{6_07} envisions -- but now, sadly, on the wane

{6_08} as BULLSHIT's mixed with TRUTH quite equally ...

 
{6_09} ... without good mediation in the news.

{6_10} This journalistic failure is the cause

{6_11} of my "uncivil" lines, my sonnet blues.

{6_12} Restoring BALANCE now means breaking laws ...

 
{6_13} ... that Cicero said speakers must obey.

{6_14} "Propriety" cannot now save the day.

{7_01} IN PARIS she sees "7" and takes note:

{7_02} "You've saved the seventh sonnet just for me?

{7_03} Sir Knight, before I let you cross my moat

{7_04} again, there are six guys I must go see ...

 
{7_05} ... One out of seven is the time you get.

{7_06} Since that is how you allocate your lines.

{7_07} Six times as much to sermonizing fret

{7_08} than to delicious kisses and French wines."

 
{7_09} She's teasing me, but still she's getting dressed

{7_10} instead of taking off my armor plate.

{7_11} I playfully anoint one perfect breast

{7_12} as "Titty of the Day," but it's too late ...

 
{7_13} She's out the door to spend some time alone.

{7_14} I know that she'll be back. She left her phone.