We stopped waving our pictures of Bob Hope,

now that the joke has worn thin,

different ways to fly the flag, smile

for the cameras, flash bulbs popping,

headlines made, U.S.O. satisfied

and the men grin

on the face of it,

not wanting to worry the folks back home.

We stopped sending letters, redacted, blacked out

lines, forcing half truths,

or no truths to take hold in lie,

lie, lie, lie

and yet they still sent Bob Hope,

with a smile, with a gag,

or two

for the body bags on both sides

to split the laughter between them.

We stopped Bob Hope from coming,

our messages all in vain,

now they send others

to keep us happy, gung-ho

in this brutal Vaudeville game.

 

Ian D. Hall 2018