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Poem: Hillary Clinton Takes New York. What Now For Bernie Sanders Supporters?

An exhortation, in verse, to Bernie-or-Bust supporters in New York and beyond to embrace pragmatism -- and Hillary Clinton -- come November. Pictured: Patrice Fowler, right, of Edinboro, Pa., holds a sign while waiting for Democratic presidential candidate, Sen. Bernie Sanders, I-Vt., to arrive during a campaign rally in Erie, Pa., Tuesday, April 19, 2016. (Mary Altaffer/AP)
An exhortation, in verse, to Bernie-or-Bust supporters in New York and beyond to embrace pragmatism -- and Hillary Clinton -- come November. Pictured: Patrice Fowler, right, of Edinboro, Pa., holds a sign while waiting for Democratic presidential candidate, Sen. Bernie Sanders, I-Vt., to arrive during a campaign rally in Erie, Pa., Tuesday, April 19, 2016. (Mary Altaffer/AP)

Editor's note:

The results are in: With her decisive win in the New York primary, Hillary Clinton has put an end to Bernie Sanders's winning streak. Victory has brought her one important step closer to clinching the Democratic nomination. "I believe there is much more that unites us than divides us," she said in her victory speech, referring to those who supported Sanders. 

If the delegate count continues to favor Clinton as her party's nominee, what will the Vermont senator's supporters do? Some Sanders devotees decry Clinton as being too like the Republicans she'd run against in the fall. Will they follow through on a promise, as some have made, to stay home on Voting Day? Cognoscenti's poet of the political scene, Erika S. Fine, has been pondering this question. She says: "Bernie-or-Bust adherents should reassess their stubborn stance, and this poem explains why."
____

Oh, the “Bernie or Bust” crowd might have to get real.
Yes, your guy is a gutsy, progressive ideal—
He discusses the issues, not Hillary’s emails,
Or Benghazi or Bill’s little problems with females.
But on numerous issues important today,
You are closer to Clinton than what you might say
For example, you’re likely to show your support
For the same type of jurists to serve on the Court,
And you favor affordable care for one’s health
Irrespective of prior conditions or wealth,
And reducing the N.R.A.’s powerful hold
On the cowards who vote to keep guns uncontrolled,
And a workable plan to address immigration,
Not a Mexican wall and incessant damnation
So if Clinton’s the winner of delegate math,
Please do not run away in a self-righteous wrath.
You do not need to rally or cheer her out loud,
But you’re closer to her than the G.O.P. crowd.
So although there is value in being ecstatic,
In November consider a switch to pragmatic,
And acknowledge she’s better than Donald or Cruz.
Hold your pride, hold your nose, but do not let her lose.

More Political Poetry By Erika S. Fine:

Headshot of Erika Fine

Erika Fine Cognoscenti contributor
Erika Fine is a freelance editor and writer.

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