The new gilded age in poetic fashion. Torry Mercer nails it as only he can

Torry Mercer has been bringing his historical knowledge and poetry together. He did not disappoint with the “New Gilded Age.”

The New Gilded Age

I’ve always liked Torry Mercer’s political poetry. He came into the studio as the sound/broadcast engineer and phone operator for Politics Done Right this afternoon.

“Egberto,” Tory said. “I have something for our audience today.”

“What is it, Torry,” I asked.

“Well, I promised those who got a Politics Done Right T-Shirt that I would write them a poem,” Tory said. “Check it out. Can I read it on air?”

Of course, it was perfect for Torry to read his promised poem on the air. And for those who want our Politics Done Right T-Shirts, hats, and other stuff to support the program, please visit our store.

Following is the text of Torry Mercer’s poem.

New Gilded Age

New gilded age, eh? 
Smells like train wreck 
Gilded in what? Benzene? Thorazine?  
 
Befuddled red state  
Post zombie apocalypse folks 
Lips dyed red from Public School cafeteria 
Red drink #7 
 
Scratching their heads, asking: 
"Where did I leave my glasses?" 
Rummaging through the mental aftereffects  
Of munching on lead paint chips in 1963 
 
Donald Trump would have: 
"Stopped this train wreck" 
"Stopped this Imperial invasion" 
 
"If Donald Trump was president  
We'd all be sittin' pretty  
We'd all have golden toilets by now" 
 
Gilded in what? 
Collective guilt? 
In the feeling you get  
When you abandon your child and all future generations? 
When you rape your Mother and the entire biosphere? 
That feeling? 
 
It is the New Gilded Age 
Gilded in olde fashioned robber barons, stratification 
Lords, vassals, and serfs 
Neo feudalism, and proto-fascism 
 
But your gilded lily is melting  
In the February heat of summer 
Wilting like all other life on Earth 
In the Exxon aftermath