The debate is the things, a poem by Justice James Ogoola

Justice James Ogoola's poem, The debate is the thing, at the presidential debate

The debate is the thing.

Candidates decked in their rainbow of colours

Speaking the speech of rhetoric

Dissecting the discourse of oratory

Displaying the skill of eloquence

Portraying the politics of persuasion

All ready to compete in the marketplace of ideas.

The debate is the thing.

Electors tuned on the ear

Intent to listen,

Viewers with a sharp hawk’s eye

Keenly scouring the screen

To judge the agile from the docile,

To assess the adept from the inept,

To choose the winner

From the losers

All sitting in Solomon’s chair

To do the above.

The debate is the thing.

Here

No cheap drama of the political rally,

Here

No base speech of the idle and the vulgar,

No shrill voice and tone of demagoguery

No mundane politics

Of the empty pledge or hollow promise.

Here only the nobler ideas and ideals of the mind

Take pride or place

To titillate the political soul of the electorate,

On the campaign trail

Candidates stand on the shifting sands of populism,

At the debate

The candidates stand on the solid platform of fundamental ideals

And critical ideas.

With firm figures and facts to wow the audience

With wit and humour to charm the electorate,

The debate soothes the politics of rancour

Binds the wounds of the mundane

Truly the debate is the thing.