WHY VOTE? or 4,186
Why should you vote on election day?
Because
your neighbor
who complains about your lawn
votes.
Because
your mother
who thinks of the future
but won’t be around forever
votes.
Because
the man
who believes women
should not vote
votes.
Because the preacher with the power
to condemn you to hell
votes.
Because his congregation
with their
violent prayers
and Leviticus 18:22
votes.
Because the insurance executive
in perfect health
with pockets lined with gold
votes.
Because the parent
who doesn’t believe
her boy needs to know
about condoms,
the same boy who is dating your daughter,
votes.
Because the group
who meets wearing white sheets
to backdrops of burning crosses
still exist
and they vote.
Because Scalia and Thomas and Roberts and Alito
vote.
Because people
who don’t recognize your right
to inherit, to marry, to hold the hand
of the person you love as they die
vote.
Because 4,186 American soldiers
have died in Iraq
and they cannot vote.
© Bryan Borland
* Visit http://www.chasingray.com/archives/2008/11/blog_the_vote_2008.html for more on the Blog the Vote project.
Well put together site and I love the “Why Vote” poem. Peace! http://www.northernvox.com
halvoropsal
October 22, 2008 at 9:06 pm
I love this piece! It’s powerful–gripping, even.
Lo
October 23, 2008 at 9:14 am
I love this! It is very beautifully written about why we should vote. Its a right that we have that so many in the world dream of and so many don’t understand nor respect it.
Jade
October 23, 2008 at 11:19 am
Yes, and because there is no such thing as the “cancelled” vote – i.e. two people talking, each voting for the other candidate so they think their votes cancel out the other…great piece…
Darren King
October 23, 2008 at 5:49 pm
Damn … you did it again. I really like this piece. The Powell poem, I wanted to like, but didn’t so much. This one, I had doubts about on reading the title, because political poems are so tough to do well, and by the end … I was like … damn, he did it again.
ht
October 23, 2008 at 6:13 pm
Political pieces are usually spur of the moment for me – a journaling of the moment and very reactionary. This one went a little beyond that, and I’m happy with the results. It’s a first draft, and I could tighten it up at places, but overall, I feel like I accomplished what I attempted to accomplish. Thanks for the feedback, everyone!
poeticgrin
October 23, 2008 at 7:10 pm
I really like this post, and just because I really like being the Devil’s advocate…
If your neighbor, your mother, the misogynist, the hellfire brimming priest and his damned congregation, the gold-toothed insurance executive, the condom decriers, the Klan, Scalia, Thomas, Roberts, Alito, and the homophobe jumped off the bridge, would you step up to the precipice too?
zxvasdf
October 23, 2008 at 9:05 pm
zxvasdf: First I must say that I visited your site and enjoyed what I found – and I’ve adding a link to you in my blogroll. I thank you for your comment and kind words & invite you to challenge and bring thought and discussion to these posts at any time. Your response brought a smile – particularly your listing of the characters within the poem – while I realized I included references to the Klan and Supreme Court Justices, seeing them listed in that manner, so closely, side by side, makes me shake my head a little – it’s absurd in some ways but I think that may be why I like it. Does voting compare to jumping off a bridge? Maybe. In 2000 I voted for Nader. Some might say I jumped off the bridge. In 2004, then nation did not vote for Kerry – we jumped off the bridge. Are we jumping off the bridge this year, even if we elect Obama? I could argue yes – that there is a risk in Obama’s election – he’s young – but there’s always a risk in newness. The question is, when we penetrate the river below, do we sink, or do we swim?
poeticgrin
October 24, 2008 at 8:23 am
Glad you liked the response. I didn’t include the dead because that would have bordered on the blasphemous. They didn’t know what they were getting into.
I don’t think we’ll ever sink. The current might change, though. Under either administration, we might find ourselves experiencing things that we don’t like, but change, either negative or positive, is necessary. After every hill there is a valley and after every valley there is a hill.
I don’t besmirch other people’s enthusiasm and concerns in the political party, but I’m not in a position to put in my two cents because I don’t vote.
Call me apathetic, but I’m of the mind whoever is willing to fight for a position of high power doesn’t deserve the position. I’m actually hoping that America will surprise itself and vote neither Democrat or Republican. That’s highly unlikely, of course, for as everybody knows, USA is a two-party country.
zxvasdf
October 24, 2008 at 10:33 am
love the closing.
Shelley
October 24, 2008 at 12:27 pm
Good points made throughout! Love that ending. Maybe should change the title to 4,186 and people will wonder about the relevance while reading it. That would really build up curiosity. You could even say something like, “Why should you vote / because i have already told / 4,186…” something like that. Just a thought. I hope I don’t seem critical because it’s a great piece.
Telemachus
October 25, 2008 at 11:34 am
I especially like the violent prayers part.
Carolina Maine
October 25, 2008 at 12:37 pm
Carolina – bless you, my child.
T – I love that idea! This is a part of a project centered around “Why Vote” – where bloggers address the issue of voting and encourage others to participate in the upcoming election. I think I have to have “Why Vote” as the title to be linked to the project. After Nov. 4 – I totally want to borrow your idea about the title change!
poeticgrin
October 25, 2008 at 1:03 pm
Oh, it’s not borrowing. It’s your poem so the title is whatever you want it to be. It was just a suggestion- glad you liked it!
Telemachus
October 25, 2008 at 10:19 pm
Bryan, I had my lit mag high school kids read this poem during our club meeting today. I asked them to go home and write a few lines that we plan to print as banners and hang around our school. They will also be working together to create one poem, inspired by this poem … I will pass along what I get. Thanks again. Henry T.
ht
October 28, 2008 at 4:29 pm
Henry – I am absolutely honored. Thank you for taking this piece and sharing it with your kids. I’m excited to see where they take the concept!
poeticgrin
October 28, 2008 at 7:30 pm
Hey Bryan,
I included this great piece in my blogpost for today, with several mentions of your name and a continuation link over here. I’m guessing that’s OK with you. Keep up the great works-in-progress…
rachel
October 29, 2008 at 1:00 am
Rachel – I so appreciate your words and am so happy that you feel I should merit a mention on your wonderful site. I have found inspiration in every sense from your work. Thank you.
poeticgrin
October 29, 2008 at 9:52 am
Amen, my friend. Amen.
God, I’ve been gone two weeks and now I cannot keep up with you!
sonofwalt
October 30, 2008 at 12:21 am
Bryan,
Thanks for this piece. Not because I agree with it to a T, but because it reminds me of the importance of my voice. Every vote counts. That’s a fact.
I read your response to another comment regarding jumping off a bridge. I WILL vote for Nader and I’ll tell you why. Because to vote for either of the two “mainstream” candidates means more of the same. Perhaps colored a little differently (pardon the pun), but more the same none-the-less. This country needs real change. A departure from business a usual. And I support anyone with fresh perspective that will help lead us there.
Jumping off the bridge is a choice. I’m standing on the railing right now.
Matt Zavadil
November 2, 2008 at 7:16 am