Current events in the global news remind me of an old poem written by Sheldon Harnick and later popularized in song by both the Smothers Brothers and the Kingston Trio back in the early 60s. It is so timely... -Stan Deyo 20 June 2002

The Merry Minuet
(click the title to hear the original recording)

written by Sheldon Harnick ©1958

They're rioting in Africa (whistling)
They're starving in Spain (whistling)
There's hurricanes in Flo-ri-da (whistling)
and Texas needs rain

The whole world is festering with unhappy souls
The French hate the Germans,
the Germans hate the Poles
Italians hate Yugoslavs,
South Africans hate the Dutch
AND I DON'T LIKE ANYBODY VERY MUCH!!

But we can be tranquil and thankful and proud
For man's been endowed with a mushroom-shaped cloud
And we know for certain that some lovely day
Someone will set the spark off
AND WE WILL ALL BE BLOWN AWAY!!

They're rioting in Africa (whistling)
There's strife in Iran

What nature doesn't so to us
Will be done by our fellow "man"