“The year that they roared” In the year of our sword 2008 Amid wars, ethnic violence and hate Spears of justice are shattered, plowshares were scattered Our Papers choose to ignore death tolls and maimed soldiers Instead leaning toward articles about plastic surgeons and noses soldered — How quickly everyone forgets issues like Guantanamo when squeezed between Iraq and economic hardplaces In the year of our corporate board, 2008 No hope to coerce people into currents The flash flood of American culture led to a damning of anti-Americanism A damning of our consumerism emanating from contaminating corporations Swooping down like vultures to prey on developing markets In this new debate arena we cannot afford To ignore whole sects of ideas Cover our eyes and peekaboo them away Or reject them with the rubber stamp of Terrorism Socialism Or Patriotism Those black and white pictures, just nameless faces No longer registering governmental disgraces Look to the future start turning some pages. We need something fresh, squeaky clean, untainted by years Of cold thinking, old politics, old fears Not sold out, wavering on his ideals Backed by cranking gears of grass-roots machine Calling out votes and uniting old folks A hero with an ear low to the ground Making sure our political and carbon footprints Are sound Ignoring the feeble rants And mindless political banter A visionary who won’t let the growing divide between us and them Change into a divide between the U.S. and Them. Dan Schechner is a junior in Morse College.