[Michael Juster]

(Funexcise #17) I would like to see poems in iambic tetrameter or pentameter couplets dealing with the actors/writers strike in Hollywood. Shorter is better, but ramble on if you want...

[sam]

Actors Strike!

An actors' strike in Hollywood
will test our nation's hardihood.
Can we survive on 'Millionaire'
when professionals are off the air
and they have pulled beloved ER
for reruns of My Mother the Car?
(We'd still have Buffy the Vampire Brat -
there are no actors used in that.)
Would Oprah Winfrey and her kind
dare to cross the picket line?
Will there be runs on video stores
and riots when the prices soar?
If this drags on and life gets hard
will Bush call out the National Guard,
replacing Drews and Martin Sheens
with khakied grunts on TV screens?
Is Boot Camp just a short preview
of what we can look forward to?

sam

[John Beaton]

Dark Day

This day’s an odd one without doubt,
it’s noon and all the stars are out.
What will we do without TV?
Watch oldies on our DVD.
What will we do when skipping soaps?
Jump rope and chant our horoscopes.
What will we do without the news?
Read comics and the AbleMuse.
What will we do - no new releases?
Do jigsaws once we’ve gone to pieces.
What will we do without the writers?
Who cares? We'll just ignore the blighters.
Without the actors there'll be strife -
we may resort to real life.

Porridginal

[balogna]

How dare they think they're worth more cash?
Just let those whiners take a hike.
Most of what they write is trash;
their audience should go on strike.

[Charles Albert]

I have no thoughts on Hollywood
or striking writers, hack or good,
but when I lost my laptop's cord
the screen went blank, and I went, bored
to turn on other screens. Mistake!
No TV show could ever make
a substitute for sturm und drang
when Juster phrases his crits wrong.

[Michael Juster]

AHEM--and when did that ever happen????

[Nigel Holt]

A Corporate Prayer

"Macarthy, Macarthy, where have you gone?
they're all stinkin' commies - every one
please come and get them - put them in clink,
as ten in San Quentin will loosen their ink."

[Michael Juster]

Sad Ending


Our hopes for better culture fail
now that the cooler heads prevail;
at least your wit explains the cost
and wayward Sam's no longer lost.

[graywyvern]

If only this could be the final push
To get their Writing Programs up to snuff.
Then hackwork would no longer hie us hoof
The buck fandango; noise would noisy, hush.

[Solan]

Amusing turn this conflict took.
I think it's time to read a book.


------------------

Svein Olav

.. another life