LPiA-22 Nov. 5

[TranquillityBase]

Taxes

I saw the Lincoln Memorial
Nearly cried
That big head was in my pocket
All heavy and psychic with metal
So I gave it up
To the bum trumpet-squealing 
Amazing grace on the corner

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I hate taxes so much
I went to the aquarium today
It was amazing to see all the big fish
I wonder if the crocodiles and beavers 
Are happy in their habitats.
On our way out they ask
Did you see the penguins?
There's a whole other museum to walk through.
Room after room of taxidermied animals.
Herds of buffalo, bears, goats, deer
Packed with foxes elephants pheasants
Displays of hunting cultures
The US extermination of buffalo.
Teddy Roosevelt everywhere
Conserving national parks
Killing endless animals.
The thrill of extinguishing life
What's to stop the necessary evil
From going too far.
Who's going to take the time 
Unless they're being paid.
We pay the taxes to keep the heads 
In museums, and not piles of glorified extinction.
It's not a poem, I hate taxes but we need them.

I have the urge to edit this but I'm not going to, but you've got something good here

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My contribution here:


Just after Baltic Avenue
and just before Reading Railroad
in Monopoly’s slums
comes the Income Tax.
But nowhere on the board
does Death await you.
In this way does the game
promise immortality 
but only if you can bankrupt
all your fellow players.
The moral here is clear:
the Banker is God
and the Dollar is Heaven.