The Poet And The Politician

They had been friends once

But 

He sought power

While the other one sought meaning

      He sought money

While the other one sought stories

      He sought security 

While the other one chased his passions

        He sought a prize

While the other one sought true love

       He sought status

While the other one sought knowledge 

      He bought a home

While the other one was broke and alone

       He had local fame

While the other one fought to stay sane

       He played the American game

While the other had dreams of burning down the whole damn stage

    He mastered a hundred different masks

While the other couldn’t fake a goddamn smile

   And after awhile

The two friends, who had grown up together 

In a small shitty town

   Were bound

To become inevitable opposites

   On two separate paths

Headed in different directions

   They drifted apart

And inside of the other’s heart

   He started to hate what his friend was turning in to 

    He knew

There was nothing he could do

    It was too late

   This was their fate

There was no escape from this maze

   One of then would grow up to be a true capitalist and a politician 

And the other

     He would grow up to be free 

  Or he would die trying

The poet and the politician

    Once friends 

   Now opposites

The only thing the story missing 

  Is for both of them to fall for the same lady.

Can you imagine that??

Golly. That would be perfect!! 

But alas, 

    God is not that cruel to the poet.

 Or . . . Is he? . . . 

       Ay, it seems like God is that cruel. How wonderful.

-CH 5/8/25