Counter-Reparations

Counter-Reparations

Some GOP clown calls for reparations
of his own. He repeats the stupid lie
about why all those Yankees had to die.
“To free the slaves!” he says. Such obfuscations
can’t hide the fact that Lincoln’s calculations
were otherwise. Such fictions cannot fly.
Why do these propagandists even try?
Can’t they anticipate the complications?
The war was fought to crush the independence
of any state that dared to raise its head
and not just join Leviathan’s attendants.
The Yankee plan: to rule the South through dread
and subjugate fierce liberty’s descendants.
The cause of freedom afterward was dead.

–Tom Riley

Latest War

Latest War

The latest war for Yankee righteousness?
The Yankees won’t admit that they are losing.
Am I critiquing past crusaders? Yes.
The latest war for Yankee righteousness
Shows that the whole damn arc has been a mess
Worthy of deep critique and fierce accusing.
The latest war for Yankee righteousness:
The Yankees won’t admit that they are losing.

–Tom Riley

Non sine honore in terris aliis

Non sine honore in terris aliis

The Yankee literati couldn’t bear
A Southern gentleman like Mr. Poe.
Judgmental in their absolutist lair,
They scoffed at Southern genius. Even so
It always is with lamps that truly glow
In the thick dark that apes normality.
Into obscurity must such lights go!
To such truth, how can puffed-up frauds agree?
The messengers of mediocrity
Pushed hard. It seemed that excellence was dead.
The lies of Griswold spread alarmingly.
Delighted Yankees on that poor corpse fed—
But did not long enjoy their ghoulish feast.
Who raised Poe from defeat? Les symbolistes!

–Tom Riley

(The beautiful soul of Edgar Allan Poe passed from our earthly plane on this date in 1842.)

NATO Gambit

The NATO Gambit

Washington moves its European pawns.
Putin has castled, bringing rooks to bear.
Is there true safety on suburban lawns?
Washington moves its European pawns.
Zelensky frowns. Our class of pundits fawns.
To face reality we do not care.
Washington moves its European pawns.
Putin has castled, bringing rooks to bear.

–Tom Riley

Old Marse Robert Samples Aleksandr Dugin’s Vodka and Finds It Good

Old Marse Robert Samples Aleksandr Dugin’s Vodka and Finds It Good

“Aggressive abroad and despotic at home.”

The unipolar world is at an end—
Which suits me fine. The Yankees went too far,
As Yankees always go. Now they descend.
I’m watching their imaginary star
Plummet. The tortured earth it’s sure to scar
Again – a sort of global spouse abuse.
But keep the victim handcuffed? No cigar.
Expecting that, the Yankees prove obtuse
Beyond their former measure. Fast and loose
They’ve played since 1860. For a while,
It served them well. But now, neck in the noose,
Their empire will be throttled, and in style.
And all of the disasters that we see?
Predicted by the Last of Heroes, Lee.

–Tom Riley

Cash Crop

Cash Crop

Where did the Yankee traders get their wares?
Africa’s biggest cash crop was its slaves.
Your history, my lad, requires repairs.
Where did the Yankee traders get their wares?
The great black kingdoms had a lot of spares,
And profit’s what the royal spirit craves.
Where did the Yankee traders get their wares?
Africa’s biggest cash crop was its slaves.

–Tom Riley

Ghost of Johnny Reb

The Ghost of Johnny Reb

Do pansy soldiers, preening technocrats,
Condemn you, Johnny Reb? Ha! What a laugh!
Let your ghost be untroubled by such gnats!
Do pansy soldiers, preening technocrats,
Latter-day self-important Yankee rats
Proclaim themselves the wheat and you the chaff?
Do pansy soldiers, preening technocrats,
Condemn you, Johnny Reb? Ha! What a laugh!

–Tom Riley

Bow Down

Bow Down

The Yankees won – so now we all bow down
To tyranny’s enduring crazy seat
In Washington, D.C. Who wears the crown?
The Yankees won, so now we all bow down
To any preening prick or mouthy clown
Who occupies the White House. What a cheat!
The Yankees won – so now we all bow down
To tyranny’s enduring crazy seat.

–Tom Riley