Max Reif - The Petition (revision)

The Petition
The political guy accosted me
at the entrance to the BART.
'Are you a registered California voter? '
I had to admit I was.
Bright and cheery: 'I've got three petitions
for you to sign—for clean water, clean air,
and education.' My guard went up.
It always goes up.

I glanced at the petition,
saw the phrase 'cigarette tax'.
I'd heard a radio show
about its pros and cons—
some educated people believe
it will take money <i>away</i>
from education, because people
will quit smoking,
rather than pay so much.

To his standard pitch,
I gave my standard response:
'Oh, that's the cigarette tax.
I don't know...'

'That's the one for <i>education</i>! '
he patiently explained,
but his patience
was fading a little.

'I'm not gonna sign today,
but can you tell me
the proposition numbers,
so I can do some research? '

'Just forget it! ' he said,
withdrawing the petition
along with any pretense
of patience, so I couldn't sign it
even if I had a sudden
change of heart, and couldn't
even <i>see</i> the numbers.

'OK, ' I said, descending
into the escalator,
and I was the cheery one now.

Max Reif

Max Reif

http://www.poemhunter.com/poem/the-petition-revision/