Red Mars! Your dogs of Fear and Panic
Are nothing to the dypsomanic
Tremens that you overcame,
In your father’s (similar) name,
Your fierce resolve an equal to
Your fiery rage, just and true –
Nor your will divide, but remain intact,
Nor swayed by Man, nor God, nor fact.
For well ‘tis known, the mind of one
Who exorcises Demon Rum
Is often singly cast, and hard
Its purpose set, without regard
To evidence against its plan
Or mercy to a beast or man;
How great the man who’ll never shrink
From saying “no!” (to peace, to drink,)
Despite the counsel of his peers,
Who merely tempt, reciting fears
He’s long since left behind. They cower,
While he Decides, with higher Power
And strides knee-deep in carrion –
A Teetotalitarian.

Bright W! – who mere men would bind
With documents, by founders signed,
Who jealous scoundrels would constrain
With talk of non-combatants’ pain;
They’d blind you, and your powers seize
With talk of civil liberties,
And open secret prison doors
(Established for this time of wars
To hold those you’ve determined vile,)
Insisting on a right to trial!
Great Lord of War, hold fast! Hold firm!
Ignore your critics, through your term!
Ignore your people – two of three
Have come to always disagree!
Ignore the whimp’ring lamentations
Of those in foe (or allied) nations,
For as you have in wisdom stated,
You are misunderestimated!
Scourge of rights and constitution,
Of syntax and of elocution;
Let your foes recite their prattle,
And speak your piece on fields of battle!

Although Minerva call you fool
And hector you – you’ve Troy to rule!
With steel of will and helm and arms,
And bounty from her plains and farms,
Bloodstained Mars, and Juno’s son,
Use well the arts of sword and gun!
Heed not Minerva’s hollow claim
That Athens is America’s name,
For Wisdom and each varied art
(Unknown to you in whole or part)
Exist, perhaps, in the Homeland’s core –
But find their greatest use in War.
So W., as you have planned,
Loose Fear and Panic on the land,
And look to Wisdom as a pox
(For slyness, look you to the Fox.)
Man-slaughtering Mars, inspire your hosts!
And tell Minerva, ‘tend your ghosts!
Your Wisdom and your woman’s ways
Are not in style at all these days –’
And tell those democratic fellas,
If you don’t like it, go to Hellas!