Poem: The Thrill Of Bill

Editor's note: On Tuesday night, former President Bill Clinton made the case for his wife, the newly anointed Democratic presidential nominee Hillary Clinton. Cognoscenti's poet of the political scene, Erika Fine, offers this sketch of what might have been his most personal speech ever.

T H E  T H R I L L  O F  B I L L

Grand speech-master Bill gave a talk for his wife,

A hagiographic account of her life.

From ill first responders to children in need,

She champions others, in word and in deed.

Devouring popcorn and wine on my couch,

I clung to his words but I felt like a slouch.

In the time that it took me to press the remote

Noble Hillary registered thousands to vote.

As a student I dreamt of a beachfront vacation

But Miss Rodham flew south to confront segregation.

They “met cute” in classes they took while at Yale

He wooed her, she spurned him, his first epic fail,

But the third time he asked for her hand, she said yes,

And they started their lifetime of triumph and stress.

So if he’s installed as our nation’s “First Lad,”

Will we fret if his taste in fine china is bad?

Or perhaps he will help her with China and trade

And the T.P.P. pledge she may rue having made.

Bill is older and wiser now — will he behave?

Just think of the love and attention he’ll crave.

Will America see the good Bill or the bad,

A “First Gentleman” ally or rowdy “First Cad”?