A satirical comment on Vladimir Putin and his trouble with the West.

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I've always felt sorry for Vladimir Putin.

First there's his name, not Ryan or Newton,

But a thud or a punch, the spitting of pips,

That rolls down the tongue and pops off the lips.

And he looks like a wrestler ready to choke

Some poor s.o.b. who cracked a bad joke.

I've always felt sorry for Vladimir Putin.

So high in the polls? You're darn-tootin'.

But scorned abroad for his taciturn grace,

Asserting his power, not knowing his place,

Yet working with Hillary, John and The One,

As they picked off his allies, wars yet unwon.

I've always felt sorry for Vladimir Putin.

Not a nice guy, but surely well-suitin'

The times of an empire falling to pieces,

Its business held up by quan'tative eases.

He kindly received their silly "reset"

And braced for an onslaught, ongoing yet.

I've always felt sorry for Vladimir Putin.

He does what he does with minimal shootin'.

His foes being glad of Ukranian fascists,

He sent the Crimea his boys without patches.

They snapped off a portion to wide applause,

Except in the West, where statesmen dropped jaws.

I've always felt sorry for Vladimir Putin,

Tricked by the West for their refutin'

A gents' accord to observe the stat'-quo

And making of Europe a steady strip-show.

Yet still he abides, he's sent out no nukes,

Unlike old Brezhnev, he's put up no dukes.

I've always felt sorry for Vladimir Putin,

His rouble tankin', his oil mootin'.

With China he's made amends and said,

"We give you oil, you give us bread,"

Not a dumb thing for a leader to do,

Except for ol' Vlad, whom they love to chew.

Authors Website: http://www.philipkraske.com

Authors Bio:

For a recording of this poem, go to my website: http://www.philipkraske.com/kraske-fiction/