Two Poems by Laura Willwerth

If I Run

Good evening thank you very much I speak to you today as a true friend I’m going to tell you a couple of stories I didn’t come here to pander folks, believe me believe me oh, believe me I am a newcomer hey, I have lobbyists I have so many websites I have them all over the place I have more accountants than I have nurses I was the grand marshal of the parade many people turned down this honor I did not I don’t care I’m really rich that sounds crass it’s not crass by the way I think I’m a nice person I think I’m actually a very nice person does my family like me? I think so, right I did them early and young special, special wow whoa do you want to hear something really shocking? my daughter, ivanka, is about to have a beautiful jewish baby I have known him for many years and we’ll be able to work closely together I learned so much just sitting at his feet playing with blocks listening to him negotiate but he wasn’t a cheerleader he’s actually a negative force I said, is he intelligent? which brings me to my next point we’re always losing all this gorgeous brand-new stuff terrible, terrible situation deplorable, deplorable situation a catastrophe and a disaster a disaster called the big lie it’s tough it’s nasty it’s mean it’s vicious it’s beautiful when you win it’s beautiful we have a hospital ready just in case there’s nothing wrong with that, right? if I run if I run I’m running

Trump It

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Laura Willwerth lives in western Massachusetts. Her writing has appeared in Cosmonauts Avenue, The Sun, and The Massachusetts Review. Her chapbook, Trump It: Words I Found on the Right, where these poems appeared originally, was published by Factory Hollow Press.

Sources

“If I Run”

Trump announcement speech, June 16, 2015, New York, New York

Trump victory speech, Feb. 20, 2016, Spartanburg, South Carolina

Trump speech to AIPAC, March 21, 2016, Washington, DC

“Trump It”

“Trump Does It His Way,” Maureen Dowd, The New York Times, April 3, 2016