ON THE AMERICAN POETRY CRISIS

Vladimir Putin Responds to Donald Trump

🖋️ Make America Poetic Again — Poetry fights back.

Speech

Citizens of the Russian Federation, and to the confused people of the West—

I have heard the speech from President Donald Trump.

A ban on poetry. Deportations. Siberia.

Interesting choice.

Let me be clear: Russia welcomes poets.

We have always welcomed them. Pushkin. Akhmatova. Mayakovsky.

Even the sad ones.

Especially the sad ones.

Mr Trump wants to send poets to Siberia? Fine. We will build them cabins. They will write verses in the snow. Very beautiful. Very Russian.

America bans rhymes. We give them medals.

America fears metaphors. We make them state policy.

Let the Americans have their slogans and spreadsheets. We will have art. We will have fire.

And when the last American haiku is silenced—

Russia will whisper one… in perfect seventeen syllables.

Thank you.