Battle Hymn

Deadline Poet

By Calvin Trillin

This article appeared in the May 3, 1999 edition of The Nation.

April 15, 1999

We're bombing you back to the Stone Age, Slobo,
To teach you that you must behave.
When all of our bombing is finished, Slobo,
What's convex will all be concave.

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We're bombing you back to the Stone Age, Slobo,
Though all of our leaders assert
Our missiles will strike quite precisely, Slobo,
To make sure that no one gets hurt.

We're bombing you back to the Stone Age, Slobo,
For policies that we revile.
Although we are sure you'll be back there, Slobo,
At this pace it may take a while.

About Calvin Trillin

Calvin Trillin is The Nation's "deadline poet." He has been a staff writer for The New Yorker since 1963 and has written the syndicated weekly column "Uncivil Liberties" since 1986. He has authored many, many books, including Tepper's Not Going Out and Deadline Poet: My Life as a Doggerelist. more...
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