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The lure for public office
Is the bidding of the known few
Magnanimous in its make-up
A personality not lacking luster
Extending a luxuriant mode
Stemmed from a desire
To do good for the population at large
A sterling performance of rare abundance
Of honesty, integrity and of high moral fiber
Observed even on the road
to accepting
Are selfishly expected of the untested
But alas! Many did not measure up
To the scrutiny of the common man
Candidates were found wanting
Engulfed with scandals varied in nature
Of harassment, solvency and sexual
The crescendo more apparent
From a build-up
of the ideal person
To hold the esteemed position
Even before stepping into office
But sadly were destroyed
midway
Having succumbed to base desires
Not befitting of the due regard
Of a man of character
Written for Poets United's Vice-versa with 2 sets of antonym as prompts ie build / destroy and common / rare and d'Verse OpenLinkNights week 50
It seems to be a rare candidate these days who measures up to public scrutiny! I think it would really be hard for someone to make that decision to run, not knowing what indiscretions will be found or or fabricated by those who wish him/her ill. Your poem definitely gave food for though, Hank.
ReplyDeletemust be tougher with way more temptations than people realize...an honest politician seems an oxymoron these days.
ReplyDeleteI am your newest follower..pls follow back if you can
Yeah a pain to get the good ones to run as they are always afraid of what could be done. So we get the trash.
ReplyDeletethere has to be something wrong with any man seeking such a lofty position...the right ones never want it....
ReplyDeleteMy favorite:
ReplyDelete"The crescendo more apparent
From a build-up of the ideal person"
I agree with Mary that it seems to be a rare candidate these days who measures up to public scrutiny...people look for perfection when in reality it doesn't exist. Nice post, Hank.
ReplyDeleteyes, sad, disturbing.
ReplyDeletewe need to overhaul the whole system. it's gone beyond representing the people, and it just represents the party.
ReplyDeleteOr is it the press twisting and turning, spinning the "expected" reactions. I have tweeted before and will state it here - Rupert Murdoch is the real Lex Luthor - evil incarnate - he doesn't write what is fit to print - he writes lies, innuendo, and slander and feeds it up in all his media as pablum for the people. All over the English speaking world. Don't trust the news you read or hear!!!
ReplyDeleteBut notwithstanding my soapbox, this was a terrific poem using well your contradictory words (in a contradictory environment) and making an excellent point!
these days we get to choose the less bad one among the bunch of so many bad candidates :D
ReplyDeleteOh, that sad gap between intention and fulfillment - leaving out the ones just in it for the ride or feathering their nests! I'm afraid I agree with Brian.
ReplyDeleteNone of us are squeaky clean but we do at least expect the politicians to be honest and not corrupt. Sadly, most are.
ReplyDeletewe so desperately need men with character in such positions..
ReplyDeleteWe had heroes as leaders during those years when we collectively agreed not to look too deeply into their back stories. Now there are only back stories on the front pages and these negatives are generally not balanced off by any compensating competence. So where do we go from here? Well done poem.
ReplyDeleteThat's an interesting idea which you mention, about our seeking a person without stain or sin and then our being frustrated when they do not live up to that ideal. Your poem also goes thru the many reasons that make this type of system self-destructive.
ReplyDeletea great use of the prompts and an intriguing poem. it doesn't seem there are many people of character anymore, does it?
ReplyDeletegreat write, Hank!
So much bashing about that goes on, why would a really good man want to play in that yard?
ReplyDelete