unsecure ballot drop box (Depositphotos.com)‘If Need Be’ and Other Poetry by Russel Winick The Society April 17, 2024 Beauty, Poetry, Satire 20 Comments . If Need Be If lawfare prosecutors aren’t proficient, And Biden family crimes can’t be denied, The ballots that they harvest aren’t sufficient, Their policies’ gross failures they can’t hide, If truth leaks from behind the censor’s curtain, Fake news is obvious despite the show, Don’t worry Democrats—and know for certain, If need be they’ll find Covid 2.0. . . The Doubly Generous Tip The reverent black lady took a chair, And noticed the white server’s scornful stare. The food was fine, but service, though, was not, White patrons given more heed than she got. Experience with waitstaff personnel, Had taught her some believe blacks don’t tip well. Which caused a jarring conflict in her mind, As such poor treatment placed her in a bind. Small tips are fair for service of that stripe, Though it would feed the false stereotype. But who’s to say a big tip’s aftermath, Would spare the next black patron from such wrath? She left a large tip—noble all the way— In case the server had a lousy day. . . The Greater Good Liberals try to justify __Illiberal things they do, As “needed for the greater good,” __Though rarely is it true. And that claim’s so ironic given __What way back I saw— A liberal legal aid group which __Pretended that the law, Prevented public housing from __Evicting one dwelled mother, Whose gangster son was terrorizing __Many nearby others. He was not on her lease, they said, __And thus his fear infliction, Occurring outside of her space __Was not grounds for eviction, Despite the fact each tenant’s lease __Gave management broad rights, To oust a resident if that __Would ease a building’s plight. The mother’s “rights” bunk they laid out __Showed not one moment when, Those liberals gave a damn about __The greater good back then. . Poet’s Note: As a former legal aid lawyer, witnessing this appalling case was one of the driving forces behind my political conversion from left to right. . . The Dumbest Things I’ve Ever Said Most of the dumbest things I’ve ever said, Weren’t from a failure of keeping well read. They thankfully also were not shameful work, Of one with no qualms about being a jerk. Nor were they the fruits of a limited mind, Since inside of me normal wit you would find. No—most of the dumbest things I’ve ever said— The words which kept shame long inside of my head— Might commonly come when one’s still immature, But owe, I believe, to a soul insecure. . . Russel Winick recently started writing poetry after ending a long legal career. He resides in Naperville, Illinois. NOTE TO READERS: If you enjoyed this poem or other content, please consider making a donation to the Society of Classical Poets. The Society of Classical Poets does not endorse any views expressed in individual poems or commentary. Share this:Click to share on Twitter (Opens in new window)Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window)Click to print (Opens in new window)Click to share on LinkedIn (Opens in new window)Click to share on WhatsApp (Opens in new window)Click to email a link to a friend (Opens in new window)Click to share on Pinterest (Opens in new window)Trending now: 20 Responses Peg April 17, 2024 What beautiful insight and candid expression… thank you, Mr Winick! Reply Russel Winick April 17, 2024 Thank you Peg. I assume that you’re referring to the fourth poem. Yes, it’s about me, alas. Your feedback is much appreciated. Reply Phil S. Rogers April 17, 2024 Yes, covid 2.0, or disease X whatever that may be, is a good possibility and may serve to keep people away from the voting booths, or force more mail in voting. The ‘needed for the greater good’ philosophy is one of the greatest threats to our country, and I feel very few people understand it. Reply Russel Winick April 18, 2024 I probably don’t either, Phil. Thanks for your thoughts. Reply Joseph S. Salemi April 17, 2024 Left-liberals will do anything to win the 2024 election, whether it’s by creating fake Biden ballots for mail-in, or hyping another Covid lockdown, or allowing illegal aliens to vote and showing them how to fill out their straight-ticket ballot for the Democrats. They stole the 2020 election; why shouldn’t they do the same this year? And of course our overly polite, gentlemanly, courteous, mainstream Republican eunuchs will be too squeamish and prissy to do anything effective against it. Reply Russel Winick April 18, 2024 I’m glad that poem caught your attention, Professor. Reply Cheryl Corey April 17, 2024 Love how you rhymed “show” with “Covid 2.0.” Reply Russel Winick April 18, 2024 Thanks Cheryl, I’m glad you liked that rhyme. Reply jd April 17, 2024 Especially love the second poem, Russel, although they are all good and wise. Reply Russel Winick April 18, 2024 Thanks JD. That poem is a true account of what happened to a friend of mine recently. I know I wouldn’t have been able to handle that situation as gracefully as she did. Reply Brian A. Yapko April 18, 2024 Four very fine poems, Russel, with some stinging satire which shines. Covid 2.0 is exactly right. Just wait and watch. As for the true story behind “The Greater Good,” I can sympathize with the frustration of a poet who has worked for justice his whole life only to see it mocked by ideologues who don’t give a damn about the real world consequences of the moral garbage they advocate for. This bankrupt view of how the legal system should work starts in law school. And it gets worse, never better. Reply Russel Winick April 18, 2024 Bingo, Brian. Thanks for your observations. Reply Roy Eugene Peterson April 18, 2024 Russel, all three poems come from a sincere place in your heart. Sadly, I believe you are right about what will happen as you wrote in “If Need Be.” The methods of doctoring the ballots are numerous from partisan vote counting, ballot box stuffing, and mail-in ballot fraud to ballot disappearance and electronic changing. “The Doubly Generous Tip,” is a human-interest story with which many must contend and that is making a decision based on things that happened in the past to moving on with no malice and showing the good side can prevail. “The Great Good” points out the hypocrisy of the left in a case which you observed and realized that they use that term as a false front for their illicit and ill-considered views. All three are very well done. Reply Russel Winick April 18, 2024 Thanks Roy, for your generous comments. Reply Margaret Coats April 18, 2024 Russel, “The Doubly Generous Tip” is a touching inspiration to do likewise whatever the server may seem to expect or deserve. I’m glad you wrote it to show the great soul within. Exactly the opposite is what you show in “The Greater Good.” And “If Need Be” outlines practical foresight that the general population seems to have this time–maybe even before the manipulators determine the need for any particular kind of manipulation. Thanks as always for versifying your observations! Reply Russel Winick April 18, 2024 You’re very welcome Margaret, and I appreciate your feedback, always. Reply Susan Jarvis Bryant April 18, 2024 Russel, the truth is often ugly, but you have managed to lift it to poetic heights while still getting grave points across and I thank you wholeheartedly for doing so. The world needs poetry and it needs honesty… that’s why your poems are always a treat to read. Thank you! Reply Russel Winick April 19, 2024 Thanks Susan. There are many masters on SCP, like you, whom I try to learn from. Reply Warren Bonham April 19, 2024 All of these were great but I really liked the self-reflection in the last one. I’ve said and regretted saying many dumb things. The important thing is to reflect upon try and learn from those moments. Those hard at work dreaming up Covid 2.0 are not in that group. Reply Russel Winick April 19, 2024 Thanks Warren, for this great comment! Reply Leave a Reply Cancel ReplyYour email address will not be published.CommentName* Email* Website Notify me of follow-up comments by email. Notify me of new posts by email. Δ This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.
Russel Winick April 17, 2024 Thank you Peg. I assume that you’re referring to the fourth poem. Yes, it’s about me, alas. Your feedback is much appreciated. Reply
Phil S. Rogers April 17, 2024 Yes, covid 2.0, or disease X whatever that may be, is a good possibility and may serve to keep people away from the voting booths, or force more mail in voting. The ‘needed for the greater good’ philosophy is one of the greatest threats to our country, and I feel very few people understand it. Reply
Joseph S. Salemi April 17, 2024 Left-liberals will do anything to win the 2024 election, whether it’s by creating fake Biden ballots for mail-in, or hyping another Covid lockdown, or allowing illegal aliens to vote and showing them how to fill out their straight-ticket ballot for the Democrats. They stole the 2020 election; why shouldn’t they do the same this year? And of course our overly polite, gentlemanly, courteous, mainstream Republican eunuchs will be too squeamish and prissy to do anything effective against it. Reply
jd April 17, 2024 Especially love the second poem, Russel, although they are all good and wise. Reply
Russel Winick April 18, 2024 Thanks JD. That poem is a true account of what happened to a friend of mine recently. I know I wouldn’t have been able to handle that situation as gracefully as she did. Reply
Brian A. Yapko April 18, 2024 Four very fine poems, Russel, with some stinging satire which shines. Covid 2.0 is exactly right. Just wait and watch. As for the true story behind “The Greater Good,” I can sympathize with the frustration of a poet who has worked for justice his whole life only to see it mocked by ideologues who don’t give a damn about the real world consequences of the moral garbage they advocate for. This bankrupt view of how the legal system should work starts in law school. And it gets worse, never better. Reply
Roy Eugene Peterson April 18, 2024 Russel, all three poems come from a sincere place in your heart. Sadly, I believe you are right about what will happen as you wrote in “If Need Be.” The methods of doctoring the ballots are numerous from partisan vote counting, ballot box stuffing, and mail-in ballot fraud to ballot disappearance and electronic changing. “The Doubly Generous Tip,” is a human-interest story with which many must contend and that is making a decision based on things that happened in the past to moving on with no malice and showing the good side can prevail. “The Great Good” points out the hypocrisy of the left in a case which you observed and realized that they use that term as a false front for their illicit and ill-considered views. All three are very well done. Reply
Margaret Coats April 18, 2024 Russel, “The Doubly Generous Tip” is a touching inspiration to do likewise whatever the server may seem to expect or deserve. I’m glad you wrote it to show the great soul within. Exactly the opposite is what you show in “The Greater Good.” And “If Need Be” outlines practical foresight that the general population seems to have this time–maybe even before the manipulators determine the need for any particular kind of manipulation. Thanks as always for versifying your observations! Reply
Russel Winick April 18, 2024 You’re very welcome Margaret, and I appreciate your feedback, always. Reply
Susan Jarvis Bryant April 18, 2024 Russel, the truth is often ugly, but you have managed to lift it to poetic heights while still getting grave points across and I thank you wholeheartedly for doing so. The world needs poetry and it needs honesty… that’s why your poems are always a treat to read. Thank you! Reply
Russel Winick April 19, 2024 Thanks Susan. There are many masters on SCP, like you, whom I try to learn from. Reply
Warren Bonham April 19, 2024 All of these were great but I really liked the self-reflection in the last one. I’ve said and regretted saying many dumb things. The important thing is to reflect upon try and learn from those moments. Those hard at work dreaming up Covid 2.0 are not in that group. Reply