Poetry on the Morning After Nov. 8. 2016

Russian Hackers

I see the best in Americans. They are not stupid to the core - we all can be thoughtless at times - illogical, self deceived, not always, not all - We, this people, did not vote in majority for a man who fondles unwilling women. We voted for the woman. I feel robbed in a dark alley. This is not democracy. The day after, we are told it was unemployed, aging, white men and their women. They, so many of them, want vengence on a world that is taking their jobs, they have no worth without someone else saying so. What if we didn't choose wrong? In Pennsylvania, votes give no trace. Easy to introduce a bad seed between the code for the changing names of candidates, sent out on jump drives across the state. Who bought the hacks that rain down plausable results that pundits could explain?

i. Artist, very alive at 70

I want them to suffer, she said. She's seventy, in good health, and may, yet, live to see the first woman president. I want them to suffer, she repeated to the TV. I want all those old, white, poorly educated men to suffer.

ii.Medicare Recipient to the Millennials

If you felt a rush voting for a third party, — hold on to it. You will need to ride it for a very long time. You will look like me when we next have a progressive society. ~

iii. Red State Relative

I want you to know how I feel. Oh sure you said optimistic You know we should all ... we all feel that way you'll see. ~

iv. Artist on her Way to a Vacation

I think I'm going to be sick, I mean it. I'm physically I mean, I'm really on the edge - There are women who voted for him. ~

v&vi. Old New Best Friend

Here are the contacts you requested. I will send you the info on tonight's rally. Poor Betsey was crying all morning yesterday. ~

vi. Called husband's phone by accident I'm calling to ask for a donation to buy off the electors You know when they vote. In December? We have till December? We can get this done.

vii. Sisters in a Red State

Voting is unnecessary One would add 1 to a heap burying the others, hers. This rebel liberal has another way to vote: she'll change the channel each time the man appears.

viii. Gay Delegate

If Hillary had won they might have taken up guns. I've had a good life, give it - me. I'm just not willing to contemplate violence against my fellow humans. My fear was and would be for my dogs. How unfair for them to suffer because of this human's conscience.

ix. Republican since Eisenhower?

My sister turned 21 before November 1956, the 2nd Eisenhower victory. She was three quarters done with an BA. Then, a masters in American studies. Jazz from the twenties she remembers the silly name — Jellyroll. No exposure to Beats. She can't remember what was taught, about Walt Whitman. I was a kid then, and couldn't have known to ask: Friend or Red? Read her Leaves, Greggs Typing & French, but we rarely spoke, what with her trip to Europe and marriage. I prompt again, Walt Whitman? Did nothing rub off, no circle of Poetry, philosophy, politics entice? This mother of girls, chose the woman; she voted for Green Jill Stein.

x. My Anarchistta

A choice between being burned at the stake or thrown into a snake pit is not a choice.

xi. Minimalist Environmentalist

A worry in women's bellies conjoined wirelessly crossed counties, finding country towns begetting torture, climate change fears, reached her without warming a boot. Unable to sleep, Apple at hand, NPR on, she bid her husband adieu, to stay up late in unnatural light. She reads the New Yorker and High Country News praises imminent protection - lands saved from shard seekers. They have no TV, buy nothing in plastic, three bags of trash, annually. She waited until two not wanting that certainty. Woke up depressed, unusually. Calls out. Come together. Do some good. Many couldn't go out, but a communal meal was had with those who could.

xii. Marketing Woman

The season inglorious few lawns decorated with names no elation for a candidate above feeling the burn of a mind embodied known only by speech image and smile ... oh for a vision, we'd decorate the yard. Spoke to no one that morning after. Flew to a trade show - outdoor rec on a college campus; Spoke to no one glorious, anew. Work just goes on.

xiii. Gun Control Lawyerette

Eight years ago a black president Barack Obama would not take up Black Lives Matter - or - Criminal justice reform. One appalling thing about Trump is that he used law and order as a scare tactic. Police endorsed man who stands for values that are troubling. My mother recalls a Black Studies Class in 1970, where students were polled & everyone but she owned one or more hand guns.

xiiii. Laryngitis

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*my sensitive friend lost her voice for ... so far, one month.

xv. Last Poem, Huh?

As no one predicted when he was beating the believers, He won and how? Those who want it here on earth hired Russian Hackers to invade our emailboxes - Julia Robbins sent me an invoice and I clicked - How? They stole the passwords of unwitting county clerks visited by nice technicians calibrating touch-screen voting machines, Taught e-counters not to read 75,000 votes in poor black Detroit. When three states go wildly unpredicted do we think Nate Silver is stupid or some scam was played?

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