Coils
The globalists are tightening their coils.
Why won’t you just agree to be constricted?
You’ll be rewarded with essential oils!
The globalists are tightening their coils
Gently – so it is monstrous, blood that boils.
To respiration why are you addicted?
The globalists are tightening their coils.
Why won’t you just agree to be constricted?
–Tom Riley
Observed of All Observers
All eyes turned to Zelensky, so zealous
For the virtues that globalists sell us—
If they’re virtues at all.
The effect wasn’t small.
Dr. Fauci was boundlessly jealous.
–Tom Riley
Where’s Volodymyr Now?
Zelensky is in Poland, not in Kyiv.
(Ukrainian is easier to rhyme
Than Russian in this case, and thus I leave
“Kiev” for some other sonneteering time.)
Zelensky is in Poland – not a crime
By any means. I’d flee the country, too,
If Russian troops were after me – but I’m
In California, where the skies are blue.
Zelensky is in Poland. This is true—
So why are he and others still pretending
That he is in Ukraine? Why do they view
The facts as enemies? His stance unbending,
He doubles down. Oh, what sheer gall is his
In Poland! (That is, where Zelensky is.)
–Tom Riley
Rodents
At your big,
important thoughts, a thousand petty
words are gnawing.
–Tom Riley
The New Way
More advanced Catholics now know the way
To be pro-life in truth – for they say
The old way’s a distortion.
They are fighting abortion
By supporting it day after day!
–Tom Riley
On the Learned Assessment of Blame
Biden went in his pants. Was it pee?
Maybe so – but most noses agree
That the shit was far worse.
Dr. Jill belched a curse:
“This is all Putin’s fault, seems to me!”
–Tom Riley
Vladimir
Yes, rivals had to be eliminated.
When you would save your people, that comes first.
The class of boyars then was subjugated.
Death was of course inflicted on the worst.
A long, dark past, devoted yet accursed,
Yielded to half-sincere renunciation.
A new faith was embraced – not in a burst
Of song, but through considered calculation.
Did hostile empires rise in detestation
Of what you had accomplished for the Rus?
An ally in the midst of complication
Appeared – and neutral nations just hung loose.
Loud enemies cried out: “Your armies stall!”
No, NATO never understood at all.
–Tom Riley
(In November 2016, in Moscow, Putin unveiled a statue of Vladimir the Great.)
Wisdom of the Body
It’s my bones
that solve for the subtle
X in X-ray.
–Tom Riley
Pre-Hurricane
When the hurricane strikes, all in vain
Are precautions shaped pre-hurricane.
Sure, you thought long and hard—
But your thoughts were ill-starred.
These winds aren’t just in some dingbat’s brain.
–Tom Riley
No More Nit-Picking
Did we drop bombs on beaten Japan—
Atom bombs? Hey, we do what we can!
We’re determined – and skilled.
Sure, civilians were killed—
But don’t be a damn nit-picker, man!
–Tom Riley
Flammeus Gladius 