Vote Blue, Blue Wave Peace Pumpkin, 10-31-2018, Michelle Kogan
Happy Poetry Friday!
Our Midterm US elections are in less than a week. I’m using this opportunity to encourage all US citizens to take part in their civic duty and get out and VOTE, on Tuesday, November 6, 2018 if you haven’t already voted. Let’s keep this Blue Wave in motion. My poem today was inspired by the powerful song Ball of Confusion, by the Temptations, which I also included a video of below. I used the words of their song as a mentor text and made changes. For 3/4’s of my poem you can hum the music from their original song and ad-lib for the remaining lines.
VOTE AND SAVE OUR NATION
People standin’ up, people shoutin’ out.
Why, because friggin’ freedom’s gone astray
March, march, march–let your voice be heard.
A life for a life, how low can we go
Cast your vote– change that anecdote
Speak up, sister, speak up.
Well, the only person speakin’ ‘bout truths today are the young’un, oh ya
And the teachers are talk’n “bout guns today instead of books, oh no,
Immigration decimation, healthcare laceration, LGBTQ isolation, women’s rights in violation, gun control alienation.
Ball of frustration–is that where our world is today, hay hay.
Hate crimes, shootings, bullying, booing,
fake news brewing, where’s truth pursuing,
global warming, mobile hoarding… and the drone rolls on–
doo–doo–doo, doo–doo-doo
grab your frustrations, put your hands in motion,
join the voter’s, change the nation
change this ball of frustration–
into organizing demonstrations,
doo–doo–doo, doo–doo–doo,
get out and VOTE and–save our Nation,
change this ball of frustration
to diversity in our Nation,
sing it out, sing it out, sing it out,
Ball of frustration–
is that where our world is today, hay hay.
© 2018 Michelle Kogan
The Poetry Friday Roundup is being hosted by the delectable hostess Jama Rattigan at Jama’s Alphabet Soup. Be sure to stop by her blog for a delicious posting and more poetry from around the blogosphere. Thanks for hosting Jama!
Michelle Kogan Illustration, Painting, & Writing 
Here’s hoping we can change the ball of frustration. I have guarded hope that we can. We must. Your song is inspirational.
NIce job with the song!! Love the Blue Wave pumpkin too :)!
That pumpkin ‘jack’ is terrific, and love your own Blue Wave song, Michelle. This “Ball of frustration” lives with me every day! Hoping, hoping for good things next Tuesday! Thanks!
Amen!
Thanks Michelle, or as I used to tell my kids when they were young Awoman!
There is an understandably political theme running through many of the posts this week Michelle. My hopes are with all of you hoping for an outcome that delivers the beginnings of the restoration of civility and reason. Your collective voices will cry out in the action of stepping out to vote.
Hear Hear! I hope so, thanks Alan.
Wow, that’s an amazing pumpkin! Ruth, thereisnosuchthingasagodforsakentown.blogspot.com
Thanks Ruth-hoping and working for change-balance to return-humanity to re-emerge.
Sharing your hope! (And voting, of course.)
I, too, share your hope and am voting with intensity (and some anxiety!) on Tuesday!