Mecurial

We Americans are
A ... mercurial people
Either up or down about
This or that kerfuffle, seldom
Getting real about life, drifting
Most of the time not driven by hate.
But we are learning with every
Outrage to be what lies at
Heart, we are a killer
Beast waiting to be
Unleashed on our
Tormentors just
As Lincoln said
In a Civil War,
He would do
Anything to
Preserve
The Union.
He meant what
He said as he had
Learned to hate slavery
And meant to destroy it by
Any means necessary even
The death or injury of millions
Of his fellow Americans which
Is what it took in the end
After a good too many
Of his wry but witty
Jokes that drove
Those around
Him to laugh
Or fume at
His need
To joke
Or cry.
I think the
Time for a few
Good jokes may be
Coming and see no way
To avoid the grim specter of
American frontier humor
Beyond all hopes of
Compromise which
Is our specialty.
We call it
Politics
Which
When
It fails
Unleashes
Our inner hate.
Only politeness
Can hold back
What may
Come.
How strange
Etiquette should
Be our only
Safety
Valve.