Wednesday, 21 September 2011

Extreme Makeovers

This poem is by a contemporary American poet named Kenneth Pobo. I read it a few years ago on the Plum Ruby Review poetry site and thought it was absolutely right on! I hope you enjoy it too. It's getting more relevant with each passing day.


Extreme Makeovers
by Kenneth Pobo

In the early 70s I put
my hand in the hand of a
hippy Jesus who minced about
in flowers, a heavenly Donovan
with sad-puppy eyes.

The 80s Jesus farted
discreetly, bought a good suit,
worked for a company, carried
a briefcase, and said money
made his daddy happy.

The 90s Jesus reviled the poor,
fumed about gays
and lurid TV. Currently,

Jesus says his FATHER
is a Republican, and if you don't
like that, get fucked,
you won't be entering our kingdom,
we'll see to that. I miss

my silly hippy
and his lemon meringue backbone,
love wasn't an attack dog to him,
and when he held my hand
he meant it.

at

18 comments:

  1. TamaraWednesday, September 21, 2011

    Oh yea....sad but ringing true. Thank you for sharing this, I've never seen this poem before.

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  2. JeannetteLSWednesday, September 21, 2011

    I miss that Jesus, too...

    I've never seen this one, either. And the "comic" there is chillingly real. I don't think that I've ever told you how much I enjoy your blog and the ranging subjects you visit AND your voice as you visit them.

    Thanks. I need to forward the poem and the comic. I can't make out--who is the political cartoonist? wait. Actually, I'll just forward the url! Duh. It's before 9 a.m., and while I've been up for hours, my brain's still hiding under the covers.

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  3. DEZMONDWednesday, September 21, 2011

    Pobo, now that's an interesting surname :)

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  4. JeanneWednesday, September 21, 2011

    A truer poem there never was...
    Such a sad state of affairs!

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  5. AnonymousWednesday, September 21, 2011

    yup, so true,,sad but true,

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  6. WillymWednesday, September 21, 2011

    That "hippy" Jesus was the one I learned about from my Father and Mother and they were Depression era. I liked their version better than the current one.

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  7. ElenaWednesday, September 21, 2011

    I don't remember the hippie Jesus but I think I prefer that one.

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  8. soniaWednesday, September 21, 2011

    Thanks for this! Republicans seem so surreal to me, as if they live on their own distorted planets. Jesus is nothing but a co-opted puppet for them. This way they can trick those with weak character into believing they'll get into heaven if they just hate enough. So sad.

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  9. JudyWednesday, September 21, 2011

    Scary, isn't it?

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  10. SuzieWednesday, September 21, 2011

    Yikes! How true, how scary, and how sad!

    What this poem has made me realize, is that while I don't wear the clothes, nor is my hair down covering my butt, I'm still that basic loving hippie of the 60's, except a bit more jaded and wary because I see the impact of the far right, and am not at all comfortable with it.

    My Mom & Step-Dad were always conservative, and back in the 60's, I went round and round with them, trying to get them to see my point of view, and over time, they became somewhat more moderate in their views, and over the years, my Mom could see more compassion in liberal viewpoints, although she never fully embraced the platform. But now in her later years, and especially since she has had her stroke, and watches a lot of religious programming on TV, she has reverted to the extreme right, now declaring beliefs in things that she once firmly rejected, even in her earlier conservative days. I've tried to appeal to her common sense, talking about how they influence people by preying on their fear of the unknown, but it doesn't seem to make a difference.

    And she has the guts to tell me that my Beliefs are not as strong or as powerful as hers! I haven't reminded her that I'M not the one who is being easily swayed! lol

    When I think about that there are people all over the country, just like my Mom, it is truly scary. .whatever happened to people using their intelligence and common sense to think for themselves?

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  11. mxtodis123Wednesday, September 21, 2011

    Never heard this poem before but it sure says a lot about those times. So many ran off to follow these false guru's.
    Mary

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  12. BugginWordWednesday, September 21, 2011

    Watch this: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MpuKt_5Q_AU

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  13. Travis ErwinWednesday, September 21, 2011

    Just for the record not all us Texans are bad. And you, as a loyal blog reader, know how a feel about Slick Rick.

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  14. My Farmhouse KitchenWednesday, September 21, 2011

    happy to stop by....

    kary and teddy
    xx

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  15. laughingwolfWednesday, September 21, 2011

    amen, as tis said...

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  16. yellowdoggrannyWednesday, September 21, 2011

    I fucking love it.

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  17. BlueberryWednesday, September 21, 2011

    I wish Jesus or *somebody* would come and take these nuts away before they ruin everything.

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  18. LeviathanThursday, September 22, 2011

    These fools have to reconcile their selfish philosophy, so they turn to "CheeseSauce" (well that's how it sounds when they say His name) and invent these justifications for their own twisted beliefs.

    If you believe in Karma, they will get theirs.

    As far as I'm concerned you could give Texas back to Mexico.

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