For-Never Needs
Capitalism, I almost respect you,
And your get-up-and-go to get the job done –
But you have no patience, keep to no lanes,
You trash your future for short-term gains.
Ev’rything has a dollar-value,
We’re individuals in nations of one –
From labour-save births to easy-rent graves,
You brought innovation, bargins, and slaves.
Capitalism, I almost forgive you –
Enlightened self-int’rest, or I’m alright Jack ?
Did you see the pollution as the price to succeed ?
Did you know what you did when you championed greed ?
Ev’rything is tied in-lieu,
In perpetual growth that can never turn back.
For even when you crash, as you will – no stress –
Just get Socialism to mop-up your mess.
Capitalism, we kinda need you –
The mother of invention, or a cyber Big Brother ?
Well, either way, you’re a useful foil
To keep our bleeding hearts from forgetting their toil.
Ev’rything has a job to do,
Can you incentivise us to care for each other ?
For here’s the thing – we need a bit of that,
But only as a tool, not a plutocrat.
This title is actually a mondegreen from the classic 80s slice of electronica “Doktor Mabuse” by Propaganda. At one point they sing “Tell him your dreams / And fanatical needs”, but the latter line is so gabbled that I cannot hear that many syllables in it even when I eventually found out what it is meant to say. na dbesides, my mistaken line is much better…
Rhyming Couplets 