.

How Many Wrongs Make a Right?

The left rights wrongs by doing wrong,
but wrongs so fixed don’t stay fixed long.
When things re-break, they wrong once more,
and hope thereby they can restore
things back to how they briefly were
when right and wrong began to blur.
They act sure while they grasp at straws,
and act pure while they shred our laws.

Soon, one more wrong gets introduced
to undo chaos that was loosed
upon their poor constituents,
since unintended consequence
will always rear its ugly head,
and snicker as it starts to shred
each hasty, half-baked plan just made,
that’s not fit to be called “best laid”.

As each plan fails, it gets replaced,
but not before the blame gets placed
upon some poor unfortunate
fresh-faced, low-rank subordinate.
Then some new plan that intervenes,
to right some wrong through wrongful means,
is implemented hastily,
and brings still more catastrophe.

Our freedoms make them terrified,
believing we’re not qualified
to have free speech or bear an arm
so, to protect us from “self-harm”
they operate a gulag state,
and right wrongs as they confiscate
our freedoms and our property
through their deep-state bureaucracy.

So, every day brings some new wrong
to weaken us and make them strong
and as their wrongs accumulate,
they’re hard at work to calculate,
through endless effort day and night
how many wrongs make up one right,
but no progressive filled with wrath
is ever very good at math.

.

.

FISA Renewal

The warrantless spying program in the Foreign Intelligence
Surveillance Act (FISA) was set to expire on April 19, but at
the last minute an extension was approved without any
meaningful safeguards to prevent abuse similar to what
has been seen in the past.  
 
“They that can give up essential liberty to obtain a little
temporary safety deserve neither liberty nor safety.”
—Benjamin Franklin

There’s no more denying
that they were applying
for warrantless spying
by brazenly lying
and then falsifying
that they were complying
so judges were buying
they weren’t merely prying.

They all got acquitted,
although they admitted
their acts weren’t permitted,
but now they’re committed
that what gets submitted
will keep spies out-witted.
So, they’re re-permitted,
as proof we’re dim-witted.

.

.

Warren Bonham is a private equity investor who lives in Southlake, Texas.

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19 Responses

  1. Russel Winick

    Terrific work Warren – both of them. You’re a master of rhyme and meter, and both poems are spot-on substantively. Thanks for two great reads!

    Reply
    • Warren Burt Bonham

      I’m glad they both resonated with you! They’re fun to write despite the depressing topics.

      Reply
  2. Margaret Coats

    Warren, your verbal pizzazz in “How Many Wrongs” depends on underlying mathematical logic, which is right there for the attentive reader. I began to think “deep state” long before you brought in the term, because this kind of thinking and acting relies on an entrenched bureaucracy for success. The “fresh-faced, low-rank subordinate” is a trainee who usually gets a promotion, rather than corrective measures, for being the one willing to take the blame. Your verse lightens this topic enough to be bearable for a moment, but it is depressively desperate in fact. Housecleaning is impossible when dirt is accepted as the normal means to deal with dirt. In “FISA Renewal,” I can only agree with your well-chosen quote from Benjamin Franklin, itself an expression of desperation.

    Reply
    • Warren Burt Bonham

      The more I think of it, I think you’re spot-on about the low-rank subordinates. No one is ever held to account for bad acts and I’m sure those who take a little heat get rewarded handsomely down the road. The only good news these days is that there are plenty of targets for satire.

      Reply
      • Warren Burt Bonham

        Enjoying a blue-sky day is much more productive than stewing about what the deep-state is up to but thanks very much for the comments.

  4. Roy Eugene Peterson

    Two great poems, each with a magnificent message. As we know, two wrongs do not make a right. In the meantime, the left continues to confound us to the point we forget about the initial probe in an effort to fight the latest wrongs hovering over us!

    Reply
    • Warren Burt Bonham

      Thanks! The left lurch from crisis to crisis, many of which they created, and none of which they have a clue how to solve so they end up doing more harm than good but, in the end, they are masters at being able to distract from their failures. Somehow, we keep falling for the same tricks.

      Reply
  5. Joseph S. Salemi

    The tyrannical FISA act was renewed with the bipartisan support of Democrats and Republicans.

    When push comes to shove, the Deep State acts and both parties get in line. Don’t sing me any praises of mainstream Republicans.

    Reply
    • Warren Burt Bonham

      Not much surprises me these days, but the bi-partisan support for FISA caught me off guard. I guess I have to set my bar even lower.

      Reply
  6. Yael

    Nice! You summed it up well; I enjoyed both poems, and How Many Wrongs Make a Right? is definitely my favorite. The message resonates with me, and I find it is enhanced by your superb poetic craftsmanship.

    Reply
    • Warren Burt Bonham

      Thanks! How Many Wrongs Make a Right was a question that our kids asked innumerable times but as their brains developed, I think they finally understood what Margaret pointed out about not being able to houseclean when you accept dirt as the way of dealing with dirt. It seems like those who never learn this lesson gravitate towards careers in politics and media.

      Reply
  7. Gigi Ryan

    Dear Warren,
    I see that poetry gives to you, as it does to me, a constructive way to cope with complex contemplations. Thank you for, “How many wrongs.” I especially loved the turn in the last line.
    Gigi

    Reply
    • Warren Bonham

      I don’t know whether such musings will ever end up accomplishing anything but it’s a good outlet that at least doesn’t do harm. I like the last line as well. Sadly, there is too much truth in it.

      Reply
  8. Susan Jarvis Bryant

    Warren, thank you for this excellently crafted poem with a pertinent point. Your words always manage to bring a much-needed slice of sanity to the bedlam banquet.

    Reply
    • Warren Bonham

      Bedlam Banquet is another great alliteration that aptly describes what we’re being force-fed these days. I’m glad you enjoyed this effort!

      Reply
  9. Cheryl Corey

    “FISA” has a very metronomic beat, and I love how you have the two stanzas with the same end-rhymes; and the quote from Ben Franklin is so very true.

    Reply
    • Warren Bonham

      Ben Franklin was an amazing person who is all but ignored now. It’s sad that we believe that as we get more knowledge, we automatically have more wisdom so anything said by historical figures like Ben Franklin can be safely ignored so we keep making the same mistakes.

      Reply

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