Journal for the Study of Peace and Conflict POX AMERICANA: THE COLD WAR IN POETRY by Edwin H. Fedder
	(Printed below are the PREFACE and the section on NIXON from an epic length poetic treatment of the Cold War) PREFACE My lord, the times are changing needing rearranging calling for solutions to problems heretofore swept under the door straining credulence and pretense that lack of growth makes sense that military recompense equates to dollars and cents that mimic investments as by Japanese and German gents who built the trains and cars, products galore while we extolled the virtues of war and cheered for more. The weakness of the Soviet threat exposed to all that by and large they couldn't deliver the limped arrows in their quiver CIA estimates masked untruths that generations of youths fueled entrenched ignorance infecting with a pestilence a doughty type of preference for armaggedon's cheerful succor brutish strength and megawar expose the love of war; let's fantasize and mobilize drop some bombs and vaporize. Generations come and go basking in the reflected afterglow of people's claims to really know, Oh GI Joe the shmoe hoes the row sinks his toe in depths of dung so far below that excavating rung by rung yields yet more layered piles of dung tramples memories cruelly sung of how we triumphed and begat a peace barely threatened at such cost that hopes were set in permafrost yielding pusillanimous pedantry. Was it fate, the national security state or chance or fancy, necromancy that steered our course skimmed our bourse a cowboy on a great white horse John Wayne performing legerdemain insulating us from the pain inflicted in the main singing a repetitive refrain that we're so noble we're so pure we have such great allure we are the best forevermore, Oh mirror, mirror on the wall did we but prepare for a fall? The Cold War deprived two generation's growth punctuated by loyalty oath patriots loathe-some questions linking posturing greed feeding on fears that years' repetition equates with need neutering seed for technology save for destructionists publicists for hope and hoary atavistic glory alliance builders mythologizing institutions and threats placing bets that we're so rich that we can afford treading water. NATO persists as myth to smite no Soviet foe a mythologic flow of rivers and streams to dam or not to dam but streams don't course without a source the Soviet bourse had run its course no Kissinger to ride Kennan's horse adaptations fail statesmen flail will not prevail sing hay, nonny nonny let civil wars prevail interventions fail sinking boaters bail, Nirvana's a tale seek out a greener vale. The only superpower is a lonely power wilted flower reflections sour heroic legends empower imagination's reign difficult refrain memories remain that never were did not occur emerge to blur ruffle patriot's fur self-satisfactions spur ennobling pretensions compounding predilections spinning tales of glory, hortatory oratory proclaiming victory of mythological dimensions singing Who's afraid of the big red bear who wasn't there? It's time to be affirmative not surly or squirmative reactive passivity is better than a proclivity to bounce around infinity with messy wars in between; the wasted past will only last till practicality ushers in reality and seed replaces political greed to feed fears that bleed the cornucopia awaiting paranoia's demise the preacher's reprise: "Free at last, free at last, thank God almighty, free at last!"   NIXON Nixon was he, Richard Milhous: they say Tricky Dickie is so slicky makes you sicky feeling icky never sprightly thinks so lightly acts politely yet unsightly, but if this is all you view your head is in the loo for based on the evidence, arguably first among twentieth century's presidents modern as the getgo; glory, glory, what a story hortatory allegory strangest drama repertory consummately negatory? Ugly stories Jerry Voorhees full deception won election hints that Helen was a felon gobble up the Senatemelon something's amiss Alger Hiss Chambers' deadly kiss Earl Warren's rather barren Ike will make you number two animals are in the zoo, cloth coats will more than do anything you may say characters that you slay high anxiety justifies "piety" glibness overcomes notoriety. Reckless charges fill the barges floating through cack-filled seas flags furled curses hurled reputations grossly slandered no respect becomes the standard hide the record rather checkered through deception predilection introspection not respected how are we supposed to view Spiro T. Agnew slimy brew retroview, what to do put some money in the shoe the odor supplements the view miscreants populate the zoo. Sure he's like a leprechaun is Daniel Patrick Moynihan a paradox in gaudy sox choose such a winner not a sinner social predilection brilliant selection setting forth his homily: stability, family, tranquility, agility, versatility gracious what a face values all of human race help the needy not the greedy, they're so seedy benign neglect is never trendy stir the mixture in the blendy what a complex thermidor. Also sprach that real humdinger Rockefeller's Kissinger bell ringer power clinger rarely fumbles often mumbles predilection for deception Metternichian inflection exhibits little introspection Realpolitik's resurrection manipulate the high and mighty ingratiate the potentate caress the press, oblige noblesse the limitations you'll transgress the Vietnamese you'll terrorize the press and public mesmerise. In '68 they set a date to pacify negotiate accelerate the end of war but fate conspired now t'was wired reelect the pres in '72 peace too soon will hardly do stealthily with aplomb Hanoi Haiphong targets to bomb expansion yields more killing fields secrecy shields the public view Cambodia will suffice, shameful vice people treat like vermin lice drown them in their fields of rice nothing noble nothing nice. No end in sight the war's a blight no respite day or night dissidents so coarse and bright agitate, fulminate, Kent State sends shudders through bones and souls naught consoles the spirits unreconciled bodies piled domiciled in purgatory where's the glory unending war rots the core merde a l'hors is there no honesty, is there no end can't they but comprehend unlimited conflict war without end the spirits and the knees will bend. Negotiation not confrontation proclamation of parity the USSR the same as we comity, subtlety power shared not liberty equals share responsibility inequality hostility if we do equivocate negotiate our fate deliberate settle European scores Middle Eastern lures if Brezhnev and Nixonovich facilitate cerebrate generate a fast tango rhumba fandango the world will celebrate procreate it's elemento! Ping your pong ring bells ring Kissinger in old Beijing planning is the thing Cho En-lai and Mao Tse-tung raising toasts praising hosts bypass Moscow Tokyo astonishing those in the know see the quaking China lobby all are guessing evanescing blessing confessing no one knows what it's all about Nixon has aroused great doubt such a dancer necromancer, entrancer image lancer hinted it be done who'd believe in such deceivin'? Set in place enhance embrace squeeze his noble placid face Iran's Shah will be the man to stabilize Middle Eastern fare raise oil prices beyond all sense they'll purchase arms in recompense and regulate the neighborhood for apple pie and motherhood, a rock for all agree save for crazy Khomeini who is he a nerdy turd the Shah's our prince so cleanly groomed his reign is doomed how can that be how can that be. Freeze those prices else they soar shield the rich soak the poor float those dollars from the gold be upstanding brave and bold forget about Dumbarton Oaks and Bretton Woods sing a chorus of mares-eat-oats inscribe your hopes upon the future priestly piety masks perplexing anxiety we're so strong we'll endure the good will fear evil nevermore shield us from dangers off-shore we can survive endure our hearts are pure. The fickle fingers of fate have a date with Watergate clumsy useless profligate a mind so nimble as above spies on Ellsberg DNC fools around with liberty surreptitiously maliciously prodigiously meretriciously yet tapes for providence accumulating evidence of guilt and shame difficult to defame innocence proclaim he records for all to know what a row to hoe oh arrogance of arrogance is nothing left but arrogance. Furtive glance resonance Haldeman and Ehrlichman lean John Dean a talking machine felons grow like lima beans talent blurred malevolently lies flourish prevalently broken laws ethics flaws the highest office in the land like a castle in the sand the fall so grand as if it were planned by the greatest dramatist in the land had it all within his grasp what happened to his clasp all his cronies a final gasp. In repose, prose shows talent knows no limit comprehends inward outward policy an unknown disability deprived us his ability for thence a paradox, was it paranoia, schizophrenia, some new dementia, self destroying shattering confidence in presidents yet to come that years will go before we may sense comparable competence will we trust again will confidence be restored will any future president dare to lead. Shame and blame defame his name the game the polity; tragedy, profligacy, deviancy, calumny stain his record mark his term inflame the righteous, reverent uprightness yields consummate politeness yet darkness imperils the land: learning is bland ignorance grand recovery unplanned intelligence damned, fears in command the triumphs of his intelligence applications of policy eloquence no recompense. © Edwin H. Fedder Edwin Fedder is Professor Emeritus of Political Science at the University of Missouri-St. Louis.
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