The Two Standards

THE TWO STANDARDS

57 THE TWO STANDARDS Mr. Babylon flanked by the joint chiefs whose briefs he has ignored troubled as they are by occasional exceptions, (Oh lighten up, Beelzebub!) appears on cnn to make the world safer for democracy and similar goals. He is very handsome, contrary to popular belief, though his eyes are close together and his mouth a smidgeon impolite. In the state of the union every day he wants them wanting to the point of debt their rights to buy and sell their freedom, happiness, so forth. He encourages their thinking they are thinking as arriving at the forgone, the conclusion he is famous for, as well as a rhetoric of reasonability: “to each his own,” “live and let live.” He really does believe the less government the better and loves to watch them close their doors at the end of every day when they think they’re at home. He loves them to isolate and insolate, all cozy and safe as houses, and he truly hopes by the time they die they’ll be utterly self-realized. They love him so much it hurts them. * 58 no kind of king who knows for every crown there’s damage done to gold no kind this one in thorns in bloodshot eyes according to Angelico a true Rex Regum never wears a thing his people can’t afford and shares his cup whatever’s in it no entertainment industry they sit around him on a lawn see right through him through him who is sick, sad, trying as hard as they can extended to the point you can’t make out their shadows they are taking up only a little space no milk no honey ...