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Marcus Bales

FOUND POEM: A DAY IN THE LIFE

He fills his coffee pot at 6 a.m.
with good clean drinking water
even though some damned liberal
advocated minimum water quality standards.

He swallows his daily medications with his first
sip of coffee, even though some damned liberal
advocated rules to make them safe
and to be sure they work as advertised.

His medications are paid for, except for the first twenty bucks,
by his employers medical plan,
even though some damned liberal
union workers negotiated for paid medical insurance,
which he gets now, too, because his employer must offer
competitive benefits to hire good workers.

In his morning shower his bottles are properly labeled
with every ingredient and the amount of its contents
even though some damned liberal advocated his right to know
what he was putting on his body.

He dresses, walks outside and takes a deep breath
even though some tree hugging liberal
advocated laws to stop industries from polluting the air.

He buys his morning breakfast, bacon and eggs today
even though some damned liberal
advocated laws to regulate the meat packing industry.

He drives to work in one of the safest
and cleanest-running cars in the world
even though some damned liberal
advocated increased safety standards and emission controls.

He has a good job with good pay,
medical benefits, retirement, paid holidays
and vacation even though some damned liberal
union members fought and even died
for these working standards.

If he is hurt on the job or becomes unemployed
he'll get a worker's compensation or unemployment check
even though some damned liberal worked to make sure
he would not lose his home because of temporary misfortune.

His paycheck deposit is federally insured up to $100,000
even though it was some damned liberal
who wanted to protect his money.

He pays his Fannie Mae-underwritten mortgage
and his below-market federal student loan
even though it was some damned liberal
who advocated that society as a whole gains when its members
are better educated and earn more money over their lifetimes.

After work he drives to his boyhood home.
He was the third generation to grow up in the house
financed by Farmers Home Administration
because private bankers wouldn't make rural loans.
His father, mother, and he enjoy the electricity
that didn't arrive until some damned liberal
advocated rural electrification.

His parents live on Social Security and his father's union pension
even though it was some damned liberal
who made sure the checks would arrive.

Driving home, he turns on a radio talk show
where the host repeats and repeats that liberals are bad
and conservatives are good
and he agrees,
"I don't need some damned liberal
ruining my life. I'm a self-made man.
I believe everyone should take care of themselves,
just like I have".

Contact Kathy here