I work in high school libraries, and one of the biggest joys of my job is co-leading a student and staff book club. As part of our meetings, we do an activity together. One of the most recent activities was making blackout poetry. We took an article discussing the horrifying book bans happening across the United States and created a poem from it. This exercise inspired the poem I'm sharing today.
The Governor
The governor says the books are full
of debauchery and sex and blame.
He says the books are the problem.
The governor says it’s mental illness,
that guns are all fair game.
He says the mind is the problem.
The governor says it’s a sin to be woke,
to speak of the stains on America’s name.
He says being woke is the problem.
The governor says the science is false,
that experts lie and just want some fame.
He says the elites are the problem.
So the books get thrown out
and the guns keep on shooting
and the racism deepens
and the sickness keeps rooting
and we ask God to bless us
and keep on disputing
each truth ’til we’re pleased with its shape.
And the governor shouts his “Amen,”
while he asks for our votes yet again.
What else might “the governor” say or do? How do you feel about the spike in book bans? I’d love to hear your thoughts.