The Art of Presumption

The Art of Presumption

We The People… the first words in our land
that unite us as one; collectively we stand
for the virtues and values that underpin this nation.
We pass on these gifts to each new generation
never questioning if they know what those words meant
relying on “We hold these truths to be self-evident.”
or so we presume…

They say that facts are immutable things.
That unlike deception, facts come with no strings…
until Donald Trump. Our reality twisted.
“Don’t believe what you see. Only ME,” he insisted.
“That’s ridiculous,” liberal pundits intoned.
Yet his followers knelt as his words were enthroned
or so we presume…

“There’s no collusion!” So Trump has declared.
It made us all wonder, “Why is he scared?”
Mueller was appointed as primary sleuth.
His findings: Trump accidentally told the truth.
So, why keep on tweeting? The curtain is drawn.
That chapter is closed. We now can move on…
or so we presume…

“It can’t be obstruction. No crime was committed.
No less than the A.G. says I was acquitted.”
We know Trump doesn’t read or acknowledge the law
but Bill Barr should know better from the things he saw.
Guilt or innocence is NOT his call to make.
It’s now up to Congress to fix Bill’s mistake…
or so we presume…

For two years plus we’ve watched all this unfold
hoping that someday the whole truth would be told.
We’ve had faith all along that “the system” works.
I guess even our Founders didn’t plan for this jerk.
And so this continues more whisper – less shout.
How or if this will end is still left in doubt…
And so, we presume.

There’s a lesson here about democracy.
It’s not just what you know; it’s about what you see.
Democracy only works if each of us defends
the rights that we’ve been given; otherwise, it ends.
Each of us is equal, links in our nation’s chain.
We must stand up for our values – not sit back and complain.
Don’t presume!.

An entry for the March/April round of "Rebel Poetry Contest" 
Prompt: Title ~ “The Art of Presumption”
Line limit: None
Line count: 42
Form: Sextets