Today's news leads to editorial poetry

The headlines in the paper present an ugly sight,

Baseball's holding strike talks as players and owners fight.

The great American pastime may end its season soon,

in sports version of Hollywood's High Noon.

And meanwhile back in Congress, our leaders do debate;

The future of Home Security and what will be its fate.

We do not have the money to fund this new grand plan

but watch them take the credit in politicking land

And while they're spending money, as they often do,

They spent $5 billion more, without a word from you.

Today our trusted leaders decided it was right

to spend your hard earned money on Africa's AIDS fight.

Back here in Missouri where life is nice and slow,

Our Governor decided a vetoing he would go.

So Holden took his pen and with a flourish great,

He killed a new committee to examine license plates.

And on the local level it's rodeo time again,

This year marks the 50th that we all pretend

we're cowboys for a while as August heat arrives,

let's hope for cooler weather so we can survive.

And August also brings elections as you know,

not too many races, this year it's kinda slow.

But that will surely change in just a week or two

As those politicians focus in on you.

And did you hear the story of a new interstate

That Cape wants to come through their front gate.

But Sikeston disagrees and thinks a better plan

Would use Highway 60, now wouldn't that be grand!

And while we're talking headlines just read today,

where taxes are soon rising and more you will pay.

But maybe that's expected and maybe it's no joke

that we should all pay more, the more we smoke.

So let me tell you something but keep it to yourself,

Editorial writers sometimes have nothing else.

So we resort to writing in rhythm and in rhyme

And fill this humble space and take your precious time.