Madeleine Albright (Almost) In Hell

 

THE MADELEINE ALBRIGHT VILLANELLE

By Pedro Poitevin

There is a special place in hell
(a little sad, a little scary)
where chickenhawks and vultures dwell.

Not far from where good Dante fell
some godforsaken February,
there is a special place in hell.

The geysers and volcanos swell.
The lava tarnishes the prairie.
And chickenhawks and vultures dwell

over a crumbling citadel
devoid of prey or adversary.
There is a special place in hell,

just like she told her clientele
before she hit the cemetery.
There, chickenhawks and vultures dwell,

aligned as in a villanelle.
One greets her: “Madam Secretary—
there is a special place in hell
where chickenhawks and vultures dwell.”

CHIMERAS: A MADELEINE ALBRIGHT BLUESANELLE

By Lewis Turco

Madeleine Albright chases chimeras --
She calls them "shimmeras," not "kymeeras,"
And she calls them that in front of cameras

While being interviewed on television.
The interviewer resorts to evasion
Hiding himself behind chimeras

And doesn't correct her pronunciation --
Madeleine thus confuses the nation
Watching her from beyond the cameras.

Madeleine doesn't even shiver
When the camera hears her shimmer:
Madeleine Albright chases chimeras --

She catches colds, but not her shimmers,
She won't be caught in Hell with shivers,
Not in front of TV cameras

With secretary Hillary Clinton,
Not even playing good badminton
Out of range of TV cameras,
For Madeleine Albright chases chimeras.