The Church of Dumbocracy
The Holy Referendum
Come gather close, dear boys and girls,
All patriots brave and free,
The Pastor says your cardboard X
Will shape eternity!
Don’t read the Constitution,
Don’t think too deep or hard,
Just scratch a mark, feel warm inside,
And wave your little card.
The choir sings “Participate!”
The organ softly drones,
While prairie saints in cowboy hats
Go marching to the tones.
“What it means is a Mystery —
But I still proudly voted!”
Cries Brother Bob from Row Thirteen,
Emotion fully loaded.
The Pastor beams with glowing eyes:
“Your voice at last is heard!”
Though somewhere far behind the wall
The outcome’s pre-conferred.
Bruce adjusts the levers gently,
Jeffrey grins beneath his hat,
“Public management,” Keith explains,
But no one asks what’s that.
Dani smiles for photographs,
While David plots the spin,
And all the faithful clap because
Participation wins.
Our Creed is Civic engagement.
We kneel at the ballot box,
Our redemption is guaranteed
By an X on cardboard!
In the Parish of Participation,
The Assembly chants the refrain:
“We’re saved by the ballot!
We don’t need a brain!”
Who cares what “secession” means,
The Sacred Sticker’s our reward.
Whether Independence or the 51st State,
We made our mark on cardboard.
“We’re saved by the ballot!
We don’t need a clue!”
In the Church of Dumbocracy,
Ignorance is truth.
Goodbye to Eighteen-Sixty-Seven.
Participation is Heaven.