pomes of buddy don: Two Crashes

Two Crashes

The two plane crashes serve as bookends to
The long hard journey through the wilderness
Of government by gut without review
Or calm consideration of what’s best
Or even curiosity about what’s really true.

The first was masterfully executed
By men whose twisted minds could justify
Destructive tactics planned and only suited
To spread religious hate, to terrify —
As if by evil, truth could be refuted.

Yet to our shame, this act came to be used
To foment fears in this land of the free,
To restrict rights where they were not abused
To trash the constitution "legally,"
With smirks of arrogance, as if amused.

The second crash, a shocking incident,
Was nothing anyone could have forecast —
A gaggle of geese nothing could prevent
From being sucked into the jet’s great blast,
Thus causing the emergency descent.

Yet practiced execution by the crew
And flying by a master pilot’s skill
Led to a perfect landing, straight and true,
Sent passengers into the wintry chill,
Where they saw ferry boats for their rescue.

How different are these historic crashes,
One leaving behind strength, the other ashes.