No Peace Prize for Bullshit Artists
Treat them as they are
Remember the man
behind the resolute desk
who will be referred to in this poem
as Sweet Potato Sundown
is still a tenth-rate slumlord
A man who bankrupted four casinos
A man who failed
at selling steak, water, and vodka
A man who is not allowed
to run a charity in the state of New York
And while his brand new bestie
who will be referred to in this poem
as PayPalpatine
is the richest man in the world,
he is also the most insecure
A man who never invented anything
A man who pays people
to play online games
pretending to be him,
so he could boast to those
who didn’t know the difference
A man who invested in successful companies
so he could buy them out
and take the credit
for others’ hard work
Ideologies
like technology
are user sensitive
cracked and coded
While academic terms may apply
those running the show
are too dumb
to even follow those rules
And not knowing
that the base line programming
for those born into a country
founded upon rebellion
for better or worse
will always be
screw you
When the Red Hats Run into the Blue Oyster
When the day comes
that the red hats are on the run
Chased out of every town
by the good people
who have had enough
I hope one last bit of karmic justice
shines upon a few
who in desperation
run down an alley
trying to open every door they can
stepping through the first unlocked door they find
to enter a bar
where they will be confronted
by a sea of the most gentlemanly leather daddies
this side of the Mississippi
A familiar brass salsa riff will play
and the leather daddies will take their hand
for a marathon of dancing
that will last long after the bar has closed
And when the red hats leave
the only disappointment will be
that despite the rumors
there was no salad bar
Daniel W. Wright is a poet, editor, and fiction writer. He is the co-founder of Back of the Class Press. Wright most recently released the poetry book The Unheard Music (Kung Fu Treachery, 2025) and the novella Snake Oil (Dark Heart Press, 2024). He is the author of five full-length collections of poetry, two novels, and co-author of four poetry splits. His work has appeared in numerous print and online journals and magazines such as Gasconade Review and Book of Matches. Wright resides in St. Louis, MO, where you can usually find him in a bar or a bookstore.
