The insurrection will be televised

Having carefully considered
Their wardrobes
The heroically clad
Armed and angry insurrectionists
Take to the streets of Washington D.C.
Hoping to enact a coup d’etat
By storming the capitol building
Breaking windows and doors
Stealing official papers
Beating and killing a guard
And photographing themselves
Over and over and over again –
Look mom! It’s me!
Overthrowing the government!—
While hunting down
Elected officials to intimidate
Into doing their bidding
And finding a vice president
To hang.

The nattily-attired and accessorized insurrectionists
Sporting all manner of weaponry
And high tech military gizmos
Slung over their shoulders
Hooked to their belts
Strapped to their manly torsos
As they fulminate telegenically
And threaten histrionically
To display their courage
Their virility
Their love of America
To television audiences
All around the globe

Unable to ensconce
Their enfant terrible
In the high chair of office
Stolen from him
By subterfuge and calumny
The fearless patriots check out of their hotels
And return to their home towns
Their families and jobs
Their ordnance camps
And secret cells
To discuss and rethink
Tactics and strategy
And try to decide what outfits to wear
To the next revolt

Philo Bixby is a wilderness photographer, environmental activist, and occasional poet, who knows fascism when he sees it. Read other articles by Philo.