By David Alpaugh

16 September 2014

Obama says ISIL, the Media ISIS.
Both sides agree that the world’s in a crisis.
ISIL! ISIS! SCHMISIL! SCHMISIS!
Let’s call the whole thing off.

Barak adores air strikes, abominates boot spikes.
He thinks Iraq likes to take un-astute hikes.
If they won’t do scare hikes! What good are air strikes?
We’d best call the whole thing off.

But oh, if we call the whole thing off, is that smart?
For oh, if we fail to act the world might fall apart!

There’ll be no mission without coalition
But Sunni and Shiite will never agree, right?
Sunnis, Shiites, Loonies, Meeskites
Let’s call the whole thing off.

But oh, if we call the whole thing off, is that smart?
For oh, if we fail to act the world might fall apart!

I drop my ISIL—or you drop your ISIS.
Ask the Supreme Court for stare decisis?
ISIL? ISIS? SCHMISIL! SCHMISIS!
Toss heads or tails and make a choice!
We must face the bad guys with one voice!

David Alpaugh’s work has previously appeared in The Satirist, as well as in more than 100 other literary journals from Able Muse to Zyzzyva. He recently completed a musical play with his composer brother, Lewis, entitled: “Yesteryear: The Life and Times of François Villon.”