Cowardice

Written upon discovering that the majority of one's fellow online poll-takers in a particular Florida Congressional district answered "Yes, he should get the harshest sentence possible" to the question "Does Bergdahl deserve life in prison after pleading guilty to desertion and misbehavior before the enemy?"

Isn’t it amazing –

This feast of Bergdahl hating?

Isn’t it astounding

This compensatory hounding

From those brave from impregnable safety

Of ten thousand thousand feet

The loyalty of those whose idol

For now is strong; the sweet

And fitting not-death

For one’s country that is replaced

By the next best thing, the rubbing out,

  The effort to efface

 The scapegoat’s accusing trace

The loyal citizen and president

Who is the true turncoat

Whose loyalty is expressed

In lynching the distressed.

See the incredible cowardice

Of these professed admirers of soldiers

The colossally disloyal tub-thumping

Of our loyal office-holders

Hear by extension too

The bravery of those who fled

And dared the pack’s hot breath

The fearlessness of the Schwecks

Who give their life in cheating death

Know the inestimable courage

Of history’s greatest cowards

The loyalty of the traitors

Who shame the world’s powers

The higher Christianity

That desecrates the cross

The nobler love of country

That kneels before the toss

The sacrifice of Malinche

The Jesus-hood of Judas

The Witch among the Salemites

The Muslim among the Buddhists

Isn’t it astonishing

This self-a-grandstanding admonishing

From the true poltroons, the Pharisees

Of every time and place

Who parade and shame deserters

To none but their disgrace.