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Home Poetry Culture

‘Trumped by Reason’: A Poem by Warren Bonham

February 25, 2025
in Culture, Poetry
A A
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poems 'Trumped by Reason': A Poem by Warren Bonham

.

Trumped by Reason

Our elitists loved extolling
all their virtues while controlling
each dimension of all nations
through new laws and regulations.

The more burdensome the better,
and they held us to each letter
of each law while loudly screeching,
and ignoring their own preaching.

Each elitist thought it vital
that each had a fitting title
that we’d call them while appealing
for their help while humbly kneeling.

Once we’d knelt and genuflected,
and they’d solemnly reflected,
they would sanction every motion
made by those who pledged devotion.

We would say our love’s undying,
which involved some harmless lying,
but we trembled in their presence
since we were just unwashed peasants.

We’d been fooled by their appearance
into thinking that coherence
lurked somewhere within each musing
that had always seemed confusing.

Old beliefs have now been shaken
as we’ve started to awaken.
We now see that those who led us
lived like sultans while they bled us.

Whitewashed tombs with faces lacquered,
wielding slogans on a placard,
ushered in a dismal season
that has now been trumped by reason.

We have found someone who sees through
all the modern pharisees who
were just hypocrites who ranted,
but now reap as they once planted.

.

.

Warren Bonham is a private equity investor who lives in Southlake, Texas.

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Comments 10

  1. Roy Eugene Peterson says:
    2 years ago

    Outstanding poem, Warren, both in structure and message! Such revelations in such a short time as Trump promised and delivered. Still so much remains in the swamp to be exposed. The left must be reeling as they scurry to concealing.

    Reply
    • Warren Bonham says:
      2 years ago

      I agree that the job is far from finished. I’m very glad to see that it has finally started.

      Reply
  2. Joseph S. Salemi says:
    2 years ago

    Perfect little quatrains, Warren. Our left-liberal overlords are now quaking in their boots, and it will be pleasant to hear their screams of pain.

    Trump, like myself, is from Queens County in New York. And in Queens we know how to kick ass.

    Reply
    • Warren Bonham says:
      2 years ago

      I’m originally from Canada but thank goodness I’m nothing like our current leader. I haven’t spent much time in Queens. It sounds like a lot of people could benefit from spending time there.

      Reply
  3. Margaret Coats says:
    2 years ago

    Sophisticated meter and language, Warren–beautifully done. At one point I almost lost the flow, but when that happens, it’s a pleasure to get back to your well-established rhythm. The words are carefully chosen to imply (correctly) that the people have been asked in the past for unthinking devotion. Elitism has not respected their rational faith in the way government CAN work for them. Instead, there have been too many burdensome laws and regulations, typically confusing and incoherent, administered by hypocritical sultans who treat the populace as ignorant peasants. Now this begins to be corrected and we can renew our faith in government of, for, and by the people, trusting those in office as rational beings with reasonable plans for cleaning up an unholy mess. You have done a good job of controlling the religious imagery to express the righteous and necessary partnership of faith and reason, insofar as it applies to public life.

    Reply
    • Warren Bonham says:
      2 years ago

      Thanks! As always, you have eloquently captured the message far better than I could have.

      Reply
  4. Gigi Ryan says:
    2 years ago

    Dear Warren,
    I love the meter and message of your poem. It seems that President Trump was aptly named.
    Gigi

    Reply
    • Warren Bonham says:
      2 years ago

      He always seems to have a trump card up his sleeve somehow.

      Reply
  5. Brian A. Yapko says:
    2 years ago

    An excellent poem, Warren, which pulls the covers off the elitists who have been unreasonably protected for years. As you observe, they have “lived like sultans while they bled us” (great line!) Well, Trump and his administration are now calling them to account and, thank heaven, there will be hell to pay. Let them get what they deserve. And after all the harm they’ve caused us, I feel no shame whatsoever for my schadenfreude.

    Reply
    • Warren Bonham says:
      2 years ago

      The amount of wealth that has been accumulated by bureaucrats in Washington should shock everyone who isn’t in Washington. I’m still baffled by the fact that so many “regular” people don’t seem to care.

      Reply

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