News Corpse

Journals like the New York Times
have very little nerve or spine.
They're vital to democracies
but they are also companies.
Corporations live to earn;
all other outcomes wait their turn
and if the books are in the red
lead stories are celebs instead.
When all's in balance, things work fine --
when not, democracy declines.

News

Have you witnessed an event
the news decided to depict?
Perhaps you've wondered -- others have --
if you were there or somehow tricked.
There's what you saw, there's news reports;
a yawning gulf lies in betwixt.
They say what's on the news is true,
but I am growing more perplixed.

Greek Tragedy

How often does it turn out good
to do things just because you could?
There's stuff that's good and stuff that ain't,
And everyone needs self restraint.
Excuse me now... ah, Mister Spitzer?
Pack it up, you're done; that's it sir.