I Am a Dead White Male

“Aftermath”
Painting by Perry House
From glasstire.com

arrange me among my antiques
I belong to their centuries
chairs in which I may repose
in the ghostly embrace of old friends

thinking our shared ancient thoughts
giving memory rational exercise
touching these things touched by
hands of minds sager than mine

patina of their late contemplations
the residue wisdom that dusts
these dead objects these primitive
ordinaries used by men famous

men forthright and brave in their
confident purpose to foment and
father a new scheme of governance
bringing a new world enlightened to life

here I have Washington’s battle sword
Madison’s inkpot and Jefferson’s quill
Franklin’s spectacles Adams’ own teacup
Jay’s gavel and Hamilton’s coins

here I have ideas of words that resound
in my head as they did in the resolute
hearts of revolt the just impetus for great
creation to come from a grave dissolution

here I have words of ideas to surround me
Plato and Paine Aristotle and Montesquieu
Voltaire Rousseau Hume and Cicero
not least the legacy passed on by Locke

arrange me among my antiques
I belong to their centuries
all but ignored as irrelevant snuffed
by the modern political dilettantes

keep me in imperfect reverence
join me to imperfect champions
waste yourself tearing down structures
of imperfect glorious history