“Ballade of Blood Money”

They talked about planned parenthood;
I thought it sounded A-okay;
Had such a wholesome ring—it sounded good—
Until I saw that clip today
On YouTube, and the world turned grey;
I may be hard of hearing, and my wits are slow—
Could be mistaken—but they say—
They trade in body parts, you know.

I’d talk about it if I could;
But I am scared of entering the fray—
Afraid of butting in—of seeming rude;
My blood just turns to water and my feet to clay;
I’d rather dance a roundelay—
Go barefoot in the winter snow;
But when I closed my eyes—their tiny faces wouldn’t go away;
They harvest body parts, you know.

I looked for confirmation—well, I think you should—
They claimed it was quite legal—didn’t wish to bray,
But they relieved mankind and saved the sisterhood—
Appreciated my concern, but I was in the way
Of their attempts at making vivisection pay—
Was interrupting their financial flow—
The specimens were waiting in the tray;
They butcher body parts, you know.

Envoy

Prince, generally you thwart the common good,
And though you’d never sink that low,
You profit from the plunder; but it’s understood
That when your soul from body parts—you’ll know.

The Imaginative Conservative applies the principle of appreciation to the discussion of culture and politics—we approach dialogue with magnanimity rather than with mere civility. Will you help us remain a refreshing oasis in the increasingly contentious arena of modern discourse? Please consider donating now.

We hope you will join us in The Imaginative Conservative community. The Imaginative Conservative is an online journal for those who seek the True, the Good and the Beautiful. We address culture, liberal learning, politics, political economy, literature, the arts, and the American Republic in the tradition of Russell Kirk, T.S. Eliot, Edmund Burke, Irving Babbitt, Wilhelm Roepke, Robert Nisbet, Richard Weaver, M.E. Bradford, Eric Voegelin, Christopher Dawson, Paul Elmer More, and other leaders of Imaginative Conservatism. Some conservatives may look at the state of Western culture and the American Republic and see a huge dark cloud which seems ready to unleash a storm that may well wash away what we most treasure of our inherited ways. Others focus on the silver lining which may be found in the next generation of traditional conservatives who have been inspired by Dr. Kirk and his like. We hope that The Imaginative Conservative answers T.S. Eliot’s call to “redeem the time, redeem the dream.” The Imaginative Conservative offers to our families, our communities, and the Republic, a conservatism of hope, grace, charity, gratitude, and prayer.