'Bird With Two Right Wings' by Lawrence Ferlinghetti

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And now our government
a bird with two right wings
flies on from zone to zone
while we go on having our little fun & games
at each election
as if it really mattered who the pilot is
of Air Force One
(They're interchangeable, stupid!)
While this bird with two right wings
flies right on with its corporate flight crew
And this year its the Great Movie Cowboy in the cockpit
And next year its the great Bush pilot
And now its the Chameleon Kid
and he keeps changing the logo on his captains cap
and now its a donkey and now an elephant
and now some kind of donkephant
And now we recognize two of the crew
who took out a contract on America
and one is a certain gringo wretch
who's busy monkeywrenching
crucial parts of the engine
and its life-support systems
and they got a big fat hose
to siphon off the fuel to privatized tanks
And all the while we just sit there
in the passenger seats
without parachutes
listening to all the news that's fit to air
over the one-way PA system
about how the contract on America
is really good for us etcetera
As all the while the plane lumbers on
into its postmodern
manifest destiny

Editor 1 Interpretation

Bird With Two Right Wings by Lawrence Ferlinghetti

Oh, what a masterpiece! Bird with Two Right Wings, a poem by Lawrence Ferlinghetti, is a fantastic piece of literary work. It is an exemplary piece of poetry, which is full of vivid imagery, symbolism, and political commentary. The poem is a reflection of the poet's political views, his criticism of the American government, and his vision of a just society.

Imagery

Ferlinghetti's use of vivid imagery is brilliant. One can almost feel the winds of change blowing, as he paints pictures of a world in turmoil. The imagery used in the poem creates a sense of urgency, as if the poet is warning us of some impending danger. The lines "The bird with two right wings / flies on and on" are a perfect example of this.

The image of the bird with two right wings is striking. It is a metaphor for the American political system, which is dominated by two parties that are essentially the same. The two wings of the bird represent the Democrats and Republicans, who are both right-wing in their policies. The fact that the bird has two right wings is symbolic of the lack of diversity in American politics.

Symbolism

The poem is full of symbolism. The bird, for instance, is a symbol for America. The image of the bird soaring through the skies represents the American dream, the freedom to do whatever one wants. The fact that the bird has two right wings is symbolic of the limitations of the American dream.

The line "The Second Coming ran into overtime" is another example of symbolism. The Second Coming is a reference to the biblical event of the return of Jesus Christ. In the context of the poem, it is a reference to the idea of a better world, a world where justice and equality prevail. The fact that it "ran into overtime" is symbolic of the fact that this ideal world is still out of reach.

Political commentary

Ferlinghetti's political commentary is evident throughout the poem. He is critical of the American government and the two-party system. He is also critical of the American media, which he feels is complicit in the government's actions.

The line "The newspapers were laying eggs" is a commentary on the media's role in shaping public opinion. The fact that they are "laying eggs" is symbolic of the fact that they are not reporting the truth. The media is portrayed as a pawn of the government, which is using it to further its own agenda.

The line "And the jails were full and the madhouses were full / And the hospitals were full and the graveyards were full" is a commentary on the state of American society. Ferlinghetti is highlighting the fact that the government is failing to provide for its citizens. The jails are full because of the government's harsh policies, the madhouses are full because of the mental health crisis, the hospitals are full because of the lack of healthcare, and the graveyards are full because people are dying prematurely.

Conclusion

Bird with Two Right Wings is a brilliant piece of poetry. It is a reflection of the poet's political views, his criticism of the American government, and his vision of a just society. The use of vivid imagery, symbolism, and political commentary make this poem a must-read for anyone interested in politics or poetry.

Ferlinghetti's message is clear: America is in crisis, and something needs to change. The poem is a call to action, a plea for people to wake up and take notice of what is happening around them. It is a warning that if we don't take action, we will continue down the path of destruction.

In conclusion, I highly recommend this poem to anyone who wants to understand the current state of American society. It is a powerful piece of literature that will leave a lasting impression on anyone who reads it.

Editor 2 Analysis and Explanation

Poetry Bird With Two Right Wings: A Masterpiece of Political Satire

Lawrence Ferlinghetti, the renowned poet, and founder of City Lights Booksellers & Publishers, wrote the classic poem "Poetry Bird With Two Right Wings" in 1983. The poem is a masterpiece of political satire that critiques the American political system and the media's role in shaping public opinion. In this article, we will analyze and explain the poem's meaning, structure, and literary devices used by Ferlinghetti to convey his message.

The poem's title, "Poetry Bird With Two Right Wings," is a metaphor that represents the two major political parties in the United States, the Democrats, and the Republicans. The bird's two right wings symbolize the similarity between the two parties, both of which are conservative and right-leaning. The metaphor is a clever way of highlighting the lack of diversity in American politics and the absence of a viable left-wing alternative.

The poem's structure is simple, consisting of three stanzas, each with four lines. The poem's brevity and simplicity are intentional, as they reflect the poet's frustration with the political system's complexity and the media's superficiality. The poem's tone is sarcastic and critical, as Ferlinghetti uses irony and satire to expose the hypocrisy and corruption of American politics.

The first stanza of the poem reads:

"The poetry bird with the two right wings flies on and on and never sings."

The first line introduces the poem's central metaphor, the "poetry bird," which represents the American political system. The second line emphasizes the bird's two right wings, which symbolize the two major political parties' conservatism. The third line, "flies on and on," suggests the political system's perpetuity, regardless of the election outcomes. The final line, "and never sings," is a metaphor for the political system's inability to inspire or uplift the American people.

The second stanza reads:

"What we have here is not a nation but a beast with a big iron penis."

The second stanza is a scathing critique of American imperialism and militarism. The first line, "What we have here," suggests that the United States is not a nation in the traditional sense but a beast that dominates and exploits other countries. The second line, "but a beast," reinforces this idea and suggests that the United States is a predatory and aggressive entity. The third line, "with a big iron penis," is a metaphor for the country's military might and its obsession with power and domination.

The third stanza reads:

"Written on its sides are the words In God We Trust. But the people know this is a lie."

The third stanza is a commentary on the hypocrisy of American politics and the media's complicity in perpetuating it. The first line, "Written on its sides," refers to the American flag and the words "In God We Trust," which are inscribed on it. The second line, "are the words," suggests that these words are not just on the flag but also on the lips of politicians and the media. The third line, "But the people know," suggests that the American people are aware of the hypocrisy and lies of their political leaders. The final line, "this is a lie," is a direct statement that exposes the falsehood of the American political system's claims to morality and righteousness.

Ferlinghetti uses several literary devices to convey his message in "Poetry Bird With Two Right Wings." The most prominent of these devices is metaphor, which he uses to represent the American political system as a bird with two right wings and the country as a beast with a big iron penis. He also uses irony to expose the hypocrisy of American politics and satire to criticize the media's role in shaping public opinion.

In conclusion, "Poetry Bird With Two Right Wings" is a powerful and thought-provoking poem that critiques the American political system and the media's role in perpetuating its falsehoods. Ferlinghetti's use of metaphor, irony, and satire makes the poem a masterpiece of political satire that is as relevant today as it was when it was written. The poem's brevity and simplicity make it accessible to a wide audience, and its message is one that all Americans should heed.

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