Saving the Chickens

It’s the last day 

at the Taj Mahal Indian Buffet

with chicken tandoori  

steaming on a silver tray 

centerpiece of a rainbow array 

of vegetables and rice. 

No customers today  

as three ladies outside 

march back and forth

placards high 

deploring the slaughter

of innocent chickens. 

They’ve given up their

lunch hour again today

before going back to work

at the clinic for women

who want to exercise 

their reproductive rights.

Donal Mahoney

World Cup

The ISIS Brit

tall in the desert

blade by his side

talks to the camera

severs the head 

of the orange infidel

kneeling beside him 

kicks the head

across the sand

while the world 

has a beer

in its coliseum

deaf to Satan

shouting “Goal!”

Donal Mahoney

What the Doctor Doesn’t Say

It’s a simple procedure

I’ve done for years

many times a day.

You'll go home this afternoon,

take it easy over the weekend,

go back to work on Monday.

Insurance covers the cost.

No one has a problem

except the fetus.

Donal Mahoney

Different Sides of Same Coin

Hands Up!

Don’t Shoot!

Pants Up!

Don’t Loot!

Donal Mahoney

Income Equality

Wilbur’s always lived 

in the navel of society,

lost in the lint

of the middle class.

His parents lived there too.

So will his children if they

fail to win the lottery.

Not a problem for Wilbur.

From his navel he can

see the poor sweat 

at jobs they died for.

When he looks up 

he can see the rich bet 

on stocks and then relax 

with wine and caviar.

That's the way the world works.

Wilbur's father told him

it’s always been that way

and always will be.

And like his father 

Wilbur knows the world 

will always have its Castros 

wanting to parcel out 

what Donald Trump has.

No wonder, Wilbur says.

Income equality can’t reign

until the world ends or 

pygmies play in the NBA. 

Donal Mahoney