Rat-A-Tat-Tat

The typewriters tap,
with a rat-a-tat-tat,
like a fourth estate rap
to provide us the pap
(that serves as a snack with a rat-a-tat-tat)
in a newspaper scrap
crammed with meaningless crap
from the editor's yap
(spewing flimflamy flak, booming rat-a-tat-tat)
after gashing a gap
in the daily recap
with a snip in a snap-
sounding thundery clap
crackng rat-a-tat-tat and a rat-a-tat-tat.

And the talking heads speak
with a rat-a-tat-tat,
of the news of the week,
tweaking tongue in the cheek
(with a click and a clack like a rat-a-tat-tat),
thus ignoring critique
'cause they're mild and too meek
in the midst of the reek 
to report of the wrack (except rat-a-tat-tat)
whilst the pundits (oblique
when protecting the chic 
of the upper class clique
at the top of the peak)
chatter rat-a-tat-tat and a rat-a-tat-tat.

The NRA ghouls
plug a rat-a-tat-tat
while their blood money tools
fill the Hill’s vestibules
(where deceit behind drapes drips a rat-a-tat-tat),
spreading folly that fuels
frenzied hands of young fools
bringing guns into schools
(at the drop of a hat there's a rat-a-tat-tat
splashing blood in warm pools)
for now anarchy rules
(which the hype ridicules
'til the temperature cools)
hailing rat-a-tat-tat and a rat-a-tat-tat.

Lawless cops, cutting loose
with a rat-a-tat-tat
spraying bullets profuse
without any excuse
(just a split second splat with a rat-a-tat-tat),
splay a rattled recluse
like a Thanksgiving goose
gushing cranberry juice
from six slugs in the back (with a rat-a-tat-tat).
To redress such abuse,
bend the branch of a spruce
with a neck in a noose
while Death's drums beat diffuse’
rolling rat-a-tat-tat and a rat-a-tat-tat.

War brings freedom to all 
with a rat-a-tat-tat
(well, excluding the thrall
with fear, facing the wall
[ often smacked with a bat, throbbing rat-a-tat-tat ],
until feeling the call
to creep out of the kraal 
biting back with a gall
[ with a tit for a tat and a rat-a-tat-tat ],
or to mangle and maul
if still able to crawl
and be part of the brawl
in a freak free-for-all,
midst a rat-a-tat-tat and a rat-a-tat-tat).

Holy warmongers praise,
with a rat-a-tat-tat,
any soldier that slays
and all rockets that raze
(the drones zoom with a vroom and a rat-a-tat-tat)
leaving smoky arrays
of gray ghosts in the haze
cloaking mute cabarets
(hushed, the hip and the hop, by the rat-a-tat-tat)
while ol’ Cerberus bays
with mankind in his gaze,
so society prays  
as it rots and decays
(Satan's trumpets of doom blare a rat-a-tat-tat)
until one of these days
in a flash through the maze
mighty mushrooms will blaze
with invisible  rays,
fin’lly braising the craze
of the rat-a-tat-tat,
   and the
            rat-
                 a-
                    tat-
                          tat.

Reviews

[Lorne Blaine]

Your words in this poem paint those sometimes, quite disturbing scenes astonishly well and, with that rat-a-tat-tat and great write, you managed to keep my attention throughout the whole ride which is hard to do with a poem of this length. Bon travail!

[Terry O'Leary]

Merci!
I'm happy you didn't fall asleep... ;-))
or on the ride, as I mentioned to Luna, lose your hat-a-tat-a-tat

[Valentine]

Over here the gun violence is also on the streets and poorer neighborhoods. Some policemen have been shot also. I am getting to hate listening to the evening news. Valentine Nice write...

[Terry O'Leary]

Thank you, Valentine!
You are right... violence (in particular, gun violence) is widespread and seems to be on the increase... from both the 'bad' guys and the 'good' guys...
We can only hope and pray that things improve (massively, and someday soon).
Terry

[D Connolly]

I love your almost playful way of describing politics and the state of world affairs these days. I read it and laugh, not because of the lack of seriousness of the topic, but because it IS so serious, and how strange it is to me that nothing is being done except rat-at-tat-tattttt

[Terry O'Leary]

Thank you, D!
Yes, some things are serious... even more serious due to lack of attention or interest...
Anyway, happy you enjoyed!!
Terry

[Luna]

hahahahahaha
That was a fun ride rat a tat tat. It had so many things in it certain facts about schools and guns and how the press works. It was unique nicely done and fun to read. Keep up the good rat a tat tat (work) Lol ;P

[Terry O'Leary]

Thank you, Luna! I'm happy the ride was fun... sometime you might have to hold on to your hat-a-tat-tat... ;-)