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Homage to Robert Strange McNamara

We pay homage

To you,

Dear Bob,

Not as misguided,

But as pure evil.

A man brilliant

Enough,

To realize he was

Wrong,

But lie,

While trying to

Understand

Why

His numbers,

Inexplicably,

Did not

Work out,

While boys died.

Not everyone

Can use teenagers

To keep time,

But you did.

 

Couldn't you tell,

That your data

Were

Junk?

You could command

People to

Collect,

They laughed while

They presented

You crap.

If your models

Could have talked,

They would have

Laughed,

At you.

 

Reporters,

For whom

Everything is new,

Were sure

That you brought

Systems analysis,

To the

Puzzle Palace.

I guess they missed

World War Two.

You did ensure

It was used,

To build

Many,

Bad,

Weapons.

You get 'A'

For effort,

Professor.

 

Those dead soldiers' Moms

Applaud you.

They hope to

Meet you in hell,

For another go round.

You somehow thought,

That all of life,

Could be reduced

Numerically.

How bizarre.

 

In the end,

Your failure

Was not numerical,

But

Philosophical,

Your calibrated responses,

Moved

Not one enemy heart,

As for yours,

You had none.

 

Those attempting to

Tell you that

You were

Mistaken,

Were helpless,

They might as well,

Have been speaking

Sanskrit to you.

For they spoke in terms of

Morality,

of which

You had none.

 

 

When you passed,

No one

mourned,

And

As hard as you

Had tried to buy it,

No one,

Gave you,

Forgiveness.

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Written by
gary-l-misch
American
Published
May 24, 2014
Lines·Words
97·233
Permission

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