I Am an American Leftist: A Poem From Kevin Higgins

 

 

I Am an American Leftist

 

Since I got to Congress I say: #MedicareForAll

with the seagull stare of someone – gender unspecified –

supple enough to have relations with Governor Gavin Newsom

while wearing an Even My Dog Hates Gavin Newsom t-shirt

 

In my youth I used to quip: ballistic missiles

should be funded by charity auctions

attended by retired golf professionals

and eminent colorectal surgeons.

 

I used to, generally speaking, be against nuclear annihilation

until Donald Trump said something about Russia.

Now, it’s what the blue side wants. And who am I to go playing

Rosa Luxembourg when there’s proper politics to be done.

 

I believe in the one true NATO and the FBI.

I’m all about the big initials.

Instead of taking the soft option of abolishing it,

I now want to put the ‘I’ back into the CIA

 

These days, each time I vote “present”

on the defence budget, I Spotify

the theme tune from Flash Gordon

and marvel at my maturity.

 

KEVIN HIGGINS