In Which I Attempt to Make Politics Poetical

Having become suddenly politically awakened by a looming school budget deficit, I attended three school board meetings in the past month. I feel the need to express my thoughts on the experience.  Since I can’t filibuster or blow anything up, you are stuck with this.  It's long and terrible, but not as long or as terrible as a school board meeting.

School Board Meeting Haikus

Revenues are down,

State pension underfunded.

School kids pay the price.

State legislators

Require school budgets on time

But not their own.  Huh?!

Anxious students ask

“Will you let this be the day

The music died here?”

Elderly worry –

Fixed income does not allow

For a tax increase.

Impassioned parents

Plead for kids in Special Ed

Who need classroom aides.

One speaker insults

Students and School Board Members.

He follows Ayn Rand.

Tea Party speaker

Makes more sense than the Ayn Rand

Enthusiast does.

Parents, students beg

To keep the gifted program:

“We need the challenge!”

“Limit government,”

Says one man, “We can’t afford

High quality schools.”

School Board members are

Not paid a dime for this, but

They are listening.

Teachers and the staff

Agree to freeze their wage and

Pay more for health care.

Back home, my husband

Thinks that all these words and pleas

Are to no avail.

Proposed as final,

But still to be revised yet,
The budget still lurks.