September 15 – On This Day

It’s the Feast of Our Lady of Sorrows
Mary’s sacred day for Christians
But since the morning when the Czar rose
Our Lady is Hillary Clinton

The first public school is founded in Europe
Society starts a new chapter
Unexpected expenses are bound to turn up;
the first bake sale is soon after

Darwin reaches the Galapagos
His work begins to take shape
The genesis of his gospel grows
As the Christian world goes ape

It’s a day of celebration for the alt-right
Swastika-flag unveiled in Berlin
And the Nuremberg Laws bring on the night
Go back, Jack (boots), do it again

This was the start of a genocide
Unbelievable and unspeakable
But there were faults on many sides, many sides
and I hope not all is unimpeachable

Four killed, Birmingham bombing
White on Black endless terror
Cynthia Wesley, Addie Mae Collins
Carole Robertson, Carol McNair

The first Greenpeace ship sets sail
For the third time, Ali wins it all
And after 101 Justices male
Sandra Day O’Connor breaks some balls

Marco Polo was born in 1254
We learned of his travels in school
Before he explored and opened doors
Kids got lost in swimming pools

James Fenimore Cooper born in Cooperstown
The chances of that simply amaze
And did baseball eventually choose this ground
Because of his book about the Braves?

Fay Wray comes to calm Kong
The movie ridiculously racist
Writhing and wriggling held in his palm
African beasts are rapists

Johnny Ramone gone too soon
Attacked his guitar fearlessly
Oliver Stone in the delivery room
Spots the mother of all conspiracies

Agatha Christie starts her first chapter
Bobby Short’s cry is stylish
Pete Carroll on the road to disaster
You have “Beast Mode” so why this?

A suicide that went on and on
Bill Evans leaves too early
Cannonball Adderley starts This Here Work Song
Mercy Mercy Mercy

Look Homeward, Angel, Thomas Wolfe
The moon is dark for Richard Wright
Bruno Walter feels a pulse
Willy Messerschmitt’s last flight

In ‘59 Iowa welcomes Khrushchev
To learn of our corn and dairy
Some will say, “Who’s that?”
It was back when Russia was scary

Falacci files her final report
Prince Harry arrives at court
And on International Day of Democracy
Trump tweets “Not for me!”