“And the Red Death held illimitable dominion over all” –Edgar Poe
The most acute horror in our Modern Age is French.
Start with the French Revolution stench
Of Sade. The guillotine impulse of a nation gone mad,
Replacing the sad and sober reason which seeks a view from above.
My father—devoted to my mother—my father, whom I trust and love,
Earned a master’s degree in history, and was only too glad
To inform me of Uncle Ho—heroically fighting for little Vietnam
Against the United States. Patriot? My dad wasn’t even a fan
Of America, having studied Charles Beard, who made the claim
The Founding Fathers were wealthy, opportunistic wits.
Any hope I, as a boy, would love my unique country, was blown to bits.
My father hated America, capitalism and the rich, so I felt the same.
Not that I can ever defend the horrible Vietnam war
Which created the righteous, radical, freak on one hand,
The duped flag-waver on the other; divided, both sides take a stand,
Irreconcilable, like the War Between the States, breaking in two, my beloved land;
This: The British Empire’s “divide and conquer” goal balkanizes all—
So at last, the globalizing ambition of cynical empire rules all.
The wonderful French, who helped the American Revolution win,
Succumbed to the Red Terror, and fell into theory and sin.
By the middle of the 19th century France joined Britain in making
The world a collection of weak states for the taking;
France and Britain used neutrality so the Confederacy dared
To win meat-grinder battle after battle, for recognition;
Russia, freeing her serfs, was the only major state who cared
America survive. It was a cruel world the French and British ushered in.
The Red Terror introduced the world to communism—it spread
By good yet weak ideals; after the Opium Wars—Free Trade fed
China’s debilitating stupor—Britain, France pushing opium’s largesse—
During the insanity of World War One, Russia changed to Soviet red;
Mad Germany and Japan’s genocidal Second World War menace
Saw Rousseau-influenced, U.S. hating, Mao win, and though
My father convinced me Ho fought heroically for Vietnam,
It was only later I found out more about Uncle Ho.
He belonged to the Chinese Communist party. He had a French education.
The vicious Pol Pot (hello Jimmy Carter) was schooled in France; first you go to bed
With French intellectuals, then in the spirit of the Red Terror, you turn red.
When backwards Khomeini, the Trojan Horse, was wheeled into Iran,
He arrived from Paris. French Leftists trumpeted Khomeini was the man
For beautiful Persia, though he was reactionary and villainous to the core;
French Impressionism (Abstract Painting trash) replaces History Painting; a tour
Of French cultural history since the Red Terror will make you see
The intellectual CIA, MI6, of leveling fanaticism, serving the same master,
Crushing reasonable lives and free nations while celebrating chaos and disaster.
If you must to listen to an intellectual, listen to me:
Love with your forgiving and devoted heart your mom and dad.
Give everyone a chance, never go on hearsay that someone is good or bad.
Run if French intellectuals speak, even if you spill your Amercan soda, your Indian tea,
Put “Republic” in your life, remember what is Divine and what is Comedy,
Love the wisdom of U.S. law, and the poetry which sings musically.