They teach us that the
Supreme act of Citizenship
Is to choose among Saviors—²
Democracy is but a name—we vote? What
Does that mean? It means we choose between
Two bodies of real, if not avowed, Autocrats—³
They are Republican or Democrat depending
Upon where the Money comes from and
Goes: whose asses are covered.⁴
“If we don’t vote for a lizard—
The Wrong Lizard might get in!”⁵
The choice between one political crook and
Another is too small for serious thought.⁶
It is better to vote for what you Want
And not get it, than to vote for what
You don’t want—and get that.⁷
Cast your whole vote: not just a
Strip of paper—but your Entire Influence!⁸
Vote for Rivers and Salmon in the streams,
Vote for Oceans flowing from inside your Dreams!⁹
A Revolution expresses the Will of the
People—it is an Election everyday.¹⁰
¹ Samuel Johnson, The Vanity of Human Wishes
² Howard Zinn, A People’s History of the United States
³ Helen Keller, Letter to an English Woman-Suffragist
⁴ Ed Roberson, Party Sonnets
⁵ Douglas Adams, So Long and Thanks for All the Fish
⁶ Richard Wright, Black Boy
⁷ Eugene Debs
⁸ Henry David Thoreau, Civil Disobedience
⁹ Cass McCombs & Angel Olsen, Don’t Just Vote
¹⁰ Fidel Castro, May Day Celebration 1961