In the life of Earl,
No soul suffers distress,
Meeting an untimely end.
Hunger is not allowed
By any nation on earth.
The rich serve the poor—
Five seasons each year.
In the life of Earl,
No good deed goes unnoticed.
Charity is often celebrated
Through daily proclamations—
Worthy of fanfare and flair.
Money acts as a commodity
Without value, except for monks.
In the life of Earl,
Cats become dogs,
And dogs constantly meow
To their heart’s content—
Morning, noon, and night.
Humor is a political party;
No opposition need apply.
Bart Edelman’s poetry collections include Crossing the Hackensack, Under Damaris’ Dress, The Alphabet of Love, The Gentle Man, The Last Mojito, The Geographer’s Wife, and Whistling to Trick the Wind. His work has been anthologized in textbooks published by City Lights Books, Harcourt Brace, Longman, McGraw-Hill, and Simon & Schuster.
