Lamentation for A House Divided

-after Lincoln’s second inaugural address

a candidate Lincoln gained his fame
by saying a house divided cannot stand.
a Senator Sumner gained a cruel beating
by indignant outrage wielding a viscous cane.

tempers boiled —the steam rose
the earth quaked, stars faded, sunspots flared.
rage assembled, our Rubicon awaited our arrival.
our valleys sank low with depression, with angst our cities swelled.

alea iacta est, our Rubicon welcomed us
the die cast, we crossed over.
remember, Lincoln warned us of our houses being divided.
only a few listened to him only a few bothered…

“and the war came”