Call 9-1-1 (and Mister Punch)

My second chapbook of poetry and prose, much of it focusing on the foibles (particularly the post-9-11 ones) of the Bush II Administration. 24 poems, 2 contemporary folktales. Beatitude Press, Berkeley, CA, 2004.

CONTENTS: My Idea For A New Kind of TVShow, Call 9-1-1---Extension Funny Farm, Shaka Sankofa Do Not Hang Down Your Head, People Are Scared of Independence, The Patriot With An Asterisk, The Fruitless Search for Barbara Cheerleader, One Hundred Cops..., Where Are You Now!, Freedom in the Air (but Not at the Airport), Oakland High Students at the S.S. Bar & Grill, Niemoeller in Live and Dying Color, The French Will Be Defended, A Doctor is Needed Up in Heaven, A Public Slave Announcement for the Colin Powell Minstrel Show, McGreevey's Mad Abscess, The Oppressor Rule Book, Dictator Takedown Dictator, Special Today---Afro Flesh!, How to Rent-A-Negro, So...They Are Afraid of the Little Brown Man, Star-Struck, Madder Than a Wet Hemp, Pandora 2003, The Folktale and Adventures of John Conqueror Punch, Marybel After the Genocide. $12.00 ($3.00 shipping/handling).

Samples...

THE FRUITLESS SEARCH FOR BARBARA CHEERLEADER

(Homage to Rep. Barbara Lee)

Hello,

May we help you?

You need a missing person’s report, you say

This person named Barbara Cheerleader was

supposed to be at your meeting to vote for your fascism

but she never showed up;

instead this person name of

Barbara Lee

Went and voted

And spoiled all your John Wayne rah rah!

Barbara Cheerleader was supposed to be in Congress.

Barbara Cheerleader was supposed to vote that day.

Barbara Cheerleader was supposed to make it unanimous

For War Old Glory and Dead Darkskins!

But Barbara Cheerleader never showed up!

In her stead was

Barbara Lee!

Sure Barbara Cheerleader is desired by would-be “presidents.”

Sure she’s desired by congressfolk in sheep’s clothing,

And yes, she’s desired by most of the zombies.

But Barbara Cheerleader is a myth.

“Barbara Cheerleader was supposed to make history!”

you moan.

Fools, history has indeed been made---

By Barbara Lee.

As for Barbara Cheerleader,

Alas she’ll long be forgot ere long.

Just like most of you.

OAKLAND HIGH STUDENTS AT THE

S.S. BAR & GRILL (and not playing hooky)

It had to happen sooner or later…

Bad enough that the schools all resemble grim fortress,

but now they’ve become the interrogation room

as two hapless students found out the hard way…

At the S.S. Bar & Grill,

where you’re barred from any rights

should you dare not to like to lick bush-shoe lollipops.

Apparently all the terrorists had took the day off

if the bar & grill only could find to torment

schoolchildren into wishing to go to Iraq

to build statues of human-sized shrubbery or else.

Perhaps it’s time now for a competing bar & grill.

The first guests can be an Oakland High teacher

and one principal too

to explain how they wormed past all standards for competency.

That would be quite front-page…

…but none a surprise.

© 2003 Garrett Murphy
-)