Letter To America

In their own words
A found poem, constructed from quotes from some of the key figures in the US Presidential Election 2016

Bill

A lot of presidential memoirs,
they say,
are dull and self-serving.
I hope mine is interesting and self-serving.
“I did not”
The new rage is to say that
the government
is the cause of all our problems,
and
if only we had no government,
we'd have no problems.
“have"
In a world with no systems,
with chaos,
everything becomes a
guerilla struggle.
“Sexual relations with that woman.”
I believe I'm a better authority
than anybody else
in America
on my own wife.
(I misled people
(including even my wife)
(I deeply regret that)

Hillary

Forgiveness is a way of
opening up the doors again
and
moving forward.
“No more secrecy”
People can judge me
for what I’ve done.
“No more zone of privacy”
If I want to
knock
a story
off the front page,
I just change my hairstyle.
“After all, what good did that do for me?
It was a mistake
to use my personal email
and
I would not do it again
(I suppose I could have stayed home)
(and baked cookies)
(and had teas)

Barack

All of us take
offense
to anyone who
reaps the rewards
of living in America
without taking on the
responsibilities
of living in America.
“I don't care whether you're driving a hybrid or an SUV”
We need to steer clear of this
poverty of ambition,
where people want to
drive fancy cars
and wear nice clothes
and live in nice apartments
but don't want to work hard
to accomplish these things.
“If you're headed for a cliff”
In the end, that's what
this election
is about.
“you have to change direction”
Do we participate in a
politics of cynicism
or a
politics of hope?
(I just miss)
(I miss)
(being anonymous)

Michelle

We learned about
honesty
and
Integrity
that the truth matters.
“Find people”
We learned about
dignity
and
decency
that how hard you work
matters more
than
how much you make.
“who will”
If my future were
determined
just by my performance
on a
standardized test,
I wouldn't be here.
“make you better. “
I can’t believe that
I’m saying that
a candidate for president
of the
United States
has bragged about
sexually
assaulting
women.
(It’s cruel)
(And it’s frightening)
(and the truth is, it hurts)

Melania

I am not a
yes
person.
“You cannot change a person.”
No matter who
you are married to,
you still need to
lead your life.
”Let them be.”
I'm very
political.
I'm not political in public,
I'm political
at home.
“Let them be the way they are.”
I don't have a
nanny.
I have a chef,
and I have my
assistant,
and that's it.
I do it myself.
(You know)
(To marry a man like Donald
(you need to know who you are)

Donald

You know,
it really doesn’t matter
what the media write
as long as you’ve got a
young,
and beautiful,
piece of ass.
“When Mexico sends its people,”
I’ve never said
I’m a perfect person,
nor pretended to be
someone that I’m not.
“they’re not sending the best”
The beauty of me
is that I’m
very
rich
“They’re bringing crime.”
My IQ is
one of the highest
and you all know it!
Please don’t feel
so stupid or
insecure
it’s not your fault.
(Anyone who knows me)
(knows these words)
(don’t reflect who I am.)