When the most insistently religious
Completely die to their Christian faith.

When fiery conservative political warriors
Reject all their previous ideological convictions.

When our country has lost all memory
Of its once hopeful-desperate founding.

That’s when a tyrant, sneakily, blusterly, appears –
Fortunately, pretty inept – for now.

When regular people start dressing in white satin robes and bright red hats
Wildly cheering errant nonsense.

When a once great political party
Transforms into a lick-bottom.

When noble visions are no longer retrievable
Because, now, a large minority of Americans “just don’t give a damn.”

That’s when the terrible tyrant will unveil himself
Decked out in his loudest bronze dog-meat face.