I read it first from a random man
It was on my Twitter feed
He couldn’t believe what had just gone down
That they’d really done the deed
The Wisconsin House went around the rules
Though the people were opposed
They couldn’t come up with a quorum,
But their minds were still closed
They split the bill, and voted,
Against the spirit of the law
I looked around for coverage,
But the only thing I saw, on my TV screen
Was fucking Charlie Sheen
I see the pics on the internet
The assembly hall is packed
With people seeing the Governor’s blame
For a spineless coward’s act
The crowd has come together
And they’re vowing they will fight
The obstacles are many,
But they know they’re in the right
They say Scott Walker’s only
Just a walking piece of shit
But the networks have decided
That the only thing that’s fit, to be seen,
Is fucking Charlie Sheen
The stories now accumulate,
About the GOP
And how they fight for billionaires
And against you and me
A peaceful people’s protest
A demonstration of their power
Without the need to fire a shot,
Growing stronger by the hour
But looking at the networks
Leaves me tangled up in blues
They throw some shit together
And they dare to call it news? It’s obscene!
It’s fucking Charlie Sheen
I should go on, but I will leave further verses to my talented and impassioned readers. I was reading twitter feeds tonight, and one (if memory serves, a retweet by @drskyskull, but the feed has been fast and furious, and if I take the time to look for it now, I’ll post this tomorrow) mentioned that CNN was airing a special on Charlie Sheen. (I feel like saying *another* special on Sheen, but I am probably mixing up CNN with every other network on television, which seems to have been nonstop Sheenathon for the past week. I’m glad I’m not a conspiracy theorist, or I’d suspect the Koch brothers of buying hookers and blow for Charlie, just to grab the news cycle.
And yes, it’s Dylan, if you don’t recognize the melody from context.
Johnny Vector says
Brilliant, as usual. I didn't recognize the original rhythm until the end of the last verse. Nicely clued!
Joan says
I loved the poem. I can relate to everything you saidBut one small thing eludes me .It is messing with my head.Among gazillion Dylan songsI can’t pin this one down.No matter how I searched the netThe name could not be found.So if you would give up the namePlease please, I pray you, bring it.And then instead of ‘saying’ itIt will be great to sing it.
Cuttlefish says
I'm so sorry, Joan–As JV notes, the hint is in the last verse–Tangled Up In Blue.
pat says
I loved this! I don't know the original song, but can't see how it could be better than your version.
Joan says
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YwSZvHqf9qMFound it at the above link. Your hint would have been lost on me as I had never heard it before. Again, thanx for a great poem. Wonder if we will hear about Sheen all night again relegating the Tsunami to the second page.
Kathie says
Joan, I was half expecting Charlie to go down to the California coastline and use his "duh winning" ways to hold back the tsunami. (I was also hoping he'd take Mel Gibson with him).
Nicole Schrand says
Reminds me of all the reasons (besides my lack of a tv) that I have for not watching network news anymore. Fucking Charlie Sheen was all I heard about at home over my Spring Break.