A Huraiwa On Literate Leadership

As I was sitting at a table at the St Blasius Day music collegium, Prince Kurgan wandered past and did a double-take when he saw my rhyming dictionary. He opened it, and noted some interestingly ironic rhymes, then demanded that I take those rhymes and write a poem for him. I did so, but of course as pioneering poet for this new, sestina-like style of poem, I claimed naming rights for the invention. I named it a Huraiwa, after Kurgan’s princess and wife.

[February 1999]

If a leader would avoid the name of Hitler,
He should carefully compose his manifesto.
He should ask a man of words, some lingo-whittler,
To help compose and, pretty soon, hey presto!
He’ll have his dissertation, his theology,
To guide all men, both fit and amputee;
As close to truth as bumps are to phrenology,
And thus he’ll lead like Queen Hippolyte.