Path: CSD-NewsHost.Stanford.EDU!morrow.stanford.edu!oas!francis
   From: francis@oas.stanford.edu (Francis Muir)
   Newsgroups: rec.arts.books,rec.arts.poems
   Date: 28 Jan 1993 06:36:17 GMT
   Organization: Stanford Exploration Project
   Lines: 14
   NNTP-Posting-Host: oas.stanford.edu

   John McCarthy writes:

	   $25 for the best poem celebrating Clinton's inauguration 
	   in the style of McGonagle.  Contest closes Friday Feb 4 
	   at midnight PST.  Entries should both be posted and emailed 
	   to me.  You keep the copyright.  Members of my family are 
	   eligible.

	   Lay it on thick.

   McCarthy misses the point. McGonagle was inspired by disasters. Now
   if The Wimp had got in again...

					   RABworm

McGonagall (now I'm spelling it correctly) was also politically correct,
as is witnessed by the item Heather posted in support of woman suffrage.
Francis, why don't try to compose a McGonagall in favor of Clinton
keeping his pledge to allow homosexuals in the armed forces?

Here's the McGonagall on woman suffrage again for you Francis.


     _Women's Suffrage_

     Fellow men!  why should the lords try to despise
     And prohibit women from having the benefit of the      
       parliamentary Franchise?
     When they pay the same taxes as you and me,
     I consider they ought to have the same liberty.

     And I consider if they are not allowed the same liberty,
     From taxation every one of them should be set free;
     And if they are not, it is really very unfair,
     And an act of injustice I most solemnly declare.

     Women farmers have no protection as the law now stands,
     And many of them have lost their property and lands,
     And have been turned out of their beautiful farms
     By the unjust laws of the land and the sheriff's alarms.

     And in my opinion, such treatment is very cruel;
     And fair play, 'tis said, is a precious jewel;
     But such treatment causes women to fret and to dote,
     Because they are deprived of the parliamentary Franchise vote.

     In my opinion, what a man pays for he certainly should get;
     And if he does not, he will certainly fret;
     And why wouldn't women do the very same?
     Therefore, to demand the parliamentary Franchise they are not
       to blame.

     Therefore let them gather, and demand the parliamentary     
       Franchise;
     And I'm sure no reasonable man will their actions despise,
     For trying to obtain the privileges most unjustly withheld   
       from them;
     Which Mr. Gladstone will certainly encourage and never      
       condemn.

     And as for the working women, many are driven to the point of
       starvation,
     All through the tendency of the legislation;
     Besides, upon members of parliament they have no claim
     As a deputation, which is a very great shame.

     Yes, the Home Secretary of the present day,
     Against working women's deputations, has always said -- nay;
     Because they haven't got the parliamentary Franchise,
     That is the reason why he does them despise.

     And that, in my opinion, is really very unjust;
     But the time is not far distant, I most earnestly trust,
     When women will have a parliamentary vote,
     And many of them, I hope, will wear a better petticoat.

     And I hope that God will aid them in this enterprise,
     And enable them to obtain the parliamentary Franchise;
     And rally together, and make a bold stand,
     And demand the parliamentary Franchise throughout Scotland.

     And do not rest day or night --
     Because your demands are only right
     In the eyes of reasonable men, and God's eyesight;
     And Heaven, I'm sure, will defend the right.

     Therefore go on brave women!  and never fear,
     Although your case may seem dark and drear,
     And put your trust in God, for He is strong;
     And ye will gain the parliamentary Franchise before very long.

--
John McCarthy, Computer Science Department, Stanford, CA 94305
*
He who refuses to do arithmetic is doomed to talk nonsense.