To the Des Moines Register

[Hardrada]

How fallen from the heights you are, heights once of such majesty.
How thinned you are by time and negative cash flow, o proud Register,
Who once spanned all the state and brought us the old high journalism
And how we waited for your latest words and how you vindicated us,
Scolded us, amused us, brought out our talents and our Iowan pride,
In those days of Cowles and Darling, of Kruidenier and Kaul,
Frank Miller, Josef Mossman, Jim Flansburg and the picture section,
Photos, paintings, etchings all of our dreams and people, our small town
And all gone in your Great Gannett Betrayal when the painted dreams
Stopped dead and the local essayists gave way to syndicated dross.
When bright and deadly Entertainment took a central place and how
Your scope shrank down to the capital and the growing central sprawl
And skidded haplessly along the ever-widening freeways.
But worst of all your sins the shutting down of peaceful words
When the Bushes had brought forth new wars. O how you rejoiced
To show the gallant warriors in a farewell hug and kiss then off
To glory and the duties of the brave and no hint of the ruin
And shattering war bring. For this alone you well deserve to lie
Scorned and small and crumpled at our feet, enabler of Tyranny.
Now time and the Internet have brought you low and in vain
Call back Geneva Overholzer or Dennis Ryerson or Patrick Duffy,
In vain invoke Dave Yepsen to spin you a reactionary miracle.
But I will spare a small tear for your comic section, remembering
That you did see Opus off to eternity to join my once-loved Pogo Possum there!

[rurallib]

1. Excellent!

Well said.

[Hardrada]

3. Thank you. I made a few typos but I think my meaning is clear.

[progressoid]

5. The typos completely ruined it for me!

;) kidding.

Good job. :thumbsup:

[Hardrada]

6. Thanks.

Glad you liked it.

[IADEMO2004]

2. K&R !!

Please don't leave this hidden in the Iowa room. The entire Gannettic Empire needs to hear.

[Hardrada]

4. Thanks for noticing this. I hope it does get a bit more notice.

I hope the DMR powers-that-be have taken heed of this. Of course it is a form of poetry and Americans don't dig poetry anymore.

[4dsc]

7. Did you post this at the DMR???

Why don't you visit the DMR's forums and post this.. I'm sure they will read it..

[roody]

8. I was visiting Iowa when Hillary and Bill made an appearance at the

fairgrounds in DM. I don't remember when---primary season. I read about it in the Register, and there was not one word about what her message was. Duh.