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THE PRISM

The Twelve Days of (Government) Christmas

On the first day of Christmas
my President gave me
a cartridge in an M3.

On the second day of Christmas
my Congress gave to me
two toothless rules
and a cartridge in an M3

On the third day of Christmas
my government gave me
three bankrupt schools,
two toothless rules
and a cartridge in an M3.

On the fourth day of Christmas
my government gave me
four poisoned lakes,
three bankrupt schools,
two toothless rules
and a cartridge in an M3.

On the fifth day of Christmas
my government gave me
FIVE GOLDEN RIGS,
four poisoned lakes,
three bankrupt schools,
two toothless rules
and a cartridge in an M3.
On the sixth day of Christmas
my government gave me
six lobbies paying,
FIVE GOLDEN RIGS,
four poisoned lakes,
three bankrupt schools,
two toothless rules
and a cartridge in an M3.

On the seventh day of Christmas
my government gave me
seven spokesmen lying,
six lobbies paying,
FIVE GOLDEN RIGS,
four poisoned lakes,
three bankrupt schools,
two toothless rules
and a cartridge in an M3.

On the eighth day of Christmas
my government gave me
eight children dying,
seven spokesmen lying,
six lobbies paying,
FIVE GOLDEN RIGS,
four poisoned lakes,
three bankrupt schools,
two toothless rules
and a cartridge in an M3.
On the ninth day of Christmas
my government gave me
nine mines exploding,
eight children dying,
seven spokesmen lying,
six lobbies paying,
FIVE GOLDEN RIGS,
four poisoned lakes,
three bankrupt schools,
two toothless rules
and a cartridge in an M3.

On the tenth day of Christmas
my government gave me
ten gases floating,
nine mines exploding,
eight children dying,
seven spokesmen lying,
six lobbies paying,
FIVE GOLDEN RIGS,
four poisoned lakes,
three bankrupt schools,
two toothless rules
and a cartridge in an M3.

On the eleventh day of Christmas
my government gave me
eleven bankers gloating,
ten gases floating,
nine mines exploding,
eight children dying,
seven spokesmen lying,
six lobbies paying,
FIVE GOLDEN RIGS,
four poisoned lakes,
three bankrupt schools,
two toothless rules
and a cartridge in an M3.

On the twelfth day of Christmas
my government gave me
TWELVE BEGGARS BEGGING,
eleven bankers gloating,
ten gases floating,
nine mines exploding,
eight children dying,
seven spokesmen lying,
six lobbies paying,
FIVE GOLDEN RIGS,
four poisoned lakes,
three bankrupt schools,
two toothless rules
and a cartridge in an M3.

  Peter Nemenyi is a longtime activist and seasonal poet in Durham.  

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