???Communism???

Now, before you start thinking we're a bunch of Commies around here - here's the scoop...

Imagine my surprise when my co-worker at school announces that she just read in an e-mail that my son, Keaton, has been entered in a poetry contest.  To which I replied, "Keaton?  I didn't even know he wrote poetry.  Wow!  How exciting!"

So that evening, I ask him about this honor that has been bestowed upon him - his poem being one of four picked to be entered out of twelve applicants.  He sheepishly says, "Oh, yeah.  I didn't think it would really be chosen."  Then I ask, "Well, what's your poem about?"  He says, "Communism."  I say, "WHAT???"

So he goes on to explain to me that they had recently been learning about Communism in one of his classes.  Then he went to his English class, and his teacher wanted everyone to write a 'Concrete Poem'.  So Keaton, being a great antagonizer to his English teacher, decided to write about Communism as a bit of a lark.  It is meant to be satire.  (This all took place last year).

So this year, when the poetry contest came up, he decided to pull it out of his archives (an overstuffed, stained and half-shredded binder) and enter it in the contest as a joke.  Well, his poem got picked.  Winners in the contest were going to get a certain amount of cash - so he thought 'okay, cool!'  Each finalist had to read his or her poem in front of a panel of nice ladies at the Community Baptist Church.  Oops!  He hadn't considered that.

After all was said and done, Keaton orally dispatched his poem before the said ladies (he was sure to make them aware that this was a satire before reading it to them).  He said they had a sense of humor, and even laughed a bit.  He came in 4th (out of 4), with an honorable mention - and they gave him a book of poems in lieu of a cash prize.  Not too bad, despite my worries that now the whole community will think we are supporters of the Communist party.

So without further adieu, here is Keaton's Poem for you to judge for yourself...

Oh Communism, what would I do without you.

I don't even have to work as hard as my neighbor.

And I get paid just as much with less work.

Oh Communism, what would I do without you.

I chill in my country with Stalin at my side.

I laugh at the Americans cause we made it to space first.

Oh Communism, what would I do without you.

I have no choice in my country, but who cares.

If I'm in trouble, so is everyone else, hooray.

Oh Communism, what would I do without you.

I laugh at my neighbor as he tries to make a point.

When he should already know there is no use.

Oh Communism, what would I do without you.

Our country's symbol is better than yours.

We have a hammer and a sythe - you just have a bird.

Oh Communism, what would I do without you.

We sent our missles over to Cuba and gave you guys a fright.

While we sit back safe from your missles.

Oh Communism, what would I do without you.

Oh (blank) you just made it to the moon!

Oh Communism, why have you failed me?

Oh Communism, why have you failed me?

Oh Communism, why have you failed me?...

(I did clean up some spelling and punctuation for him in my version)

Oh Keaton!