Intricate poem based on "person, woman, man, camera, TV"




Acing the Test: A Poem on Those Five Words
(after  “Canzone” by W.H. Auden)

And when we move to re-elect this person
Who made his reputation on TV
By being boss of each “Apprentice” person
Whom otherwise you might ignore in person
But seemed so special to us when on camera,
Almost enough to be an unfailed person
Maintaining his integrity as person
Though having to project the idea of “man”
While subject to “You’re fired!” from host-man
(It’s sure he lacks rapport with any person):
A man known for his hostile view of woman
And tendency to grossly grab a woman.

Accessibility is crucial to each woman
From the vantage point of what defines this person,
Hallmark of what to him sums up a woman
So that he roars obtusely, “Woman!
Give life beyond my ratings on TV.
I must inform you now as man to woman
Despite the RNC’s emphasis on woman
That I will rate your status as a person
Somewhat lower than almost any person
Who dares appear before, behind a camera,
Unless that person bears the form of man
And can most strongly meet me as a man.”

He’s betting that the world to any man
Looks better when it’s dominating Woman
So our response must be to cry out, “Man
The lifeboats! Iceberg dead ahead! And man,
Do we ever need a reliable person
To show superiority as man
In all we deem the best about a man,
To reassure us there can be a worthy person
That lets us see what’s true about a person
To distinguish him from what mars man:
Not show him at his false best on the camera
Instead make who he is quite real on camera!”

Let us project the truth of a true camera
Which has to be conceived in mind of man,
For falsity’s embedded in the camera
Whose errors must be measured in camera
Empaneled with perspective from a woman.
Don’t see the man whose master is a camera
(Because all that he weighs is what’s on camera)
For what he claims to be: the true best person
Most likely to fit notions of a person
That we learn from staring at a camera
And, like the president, take from the TV
What solely is the focus of TV.

Substantial he appears on the TV,
Just as our eye becomes the eye of camera.
He gives praise to distortions of TV
Proclaiming that what’s real is TV
As “Fox & Friends” conveys him true in person
Cajoling suburb housewives by TV
As if they want seduction by TV,
Submitting to the blandishments of man
Whenever it seems it’s not just any man
But one who knows his way around TV
And seeks to rule it best of any person
While striving to conceal an empty person.

And so he aced the test, this special person:
A model of free access to each woman,
Figure that represents a style of man
Displaying scowls and grimaces on camera
Who’ll need forever Twitter and TV.





Comments

Popular posts from this blog

Actors Theatre Indiana romps through a farce — unusually, without a founder in the cast

Augusta Read Thomas: A rare focus on a living composer's new music highlights this season

DK's 'Divas A-New': What's past is prologue (so is what's present)