Friday, February 1, 2019

The Cutoff Point

 
While he was asleep, Lorena Bobbitt
Sliced off her husband’s penis, went
For a drive and then tossed it out the
Window like it was a flyer that she’d
Found under her windshield wiper
For teeth whitening or rug cleaning.

In court, Lorena claimed John Wayne
Bobbitt persistently denied her any
Orgasms. I’d hoped the fallout would
Be husbands with unsatisfied wives
Would overnight become the most
Attentive lovers. No such luck.

*

“The MacNeil/Lehrer NewsHour” was on
Then. I sensed that Robert MacNeil hated
This story and desperately wanted no part
Of it. But the following year, 1993, when
The verdict in this case was finally going
To be announced, MacNeil had to mention

This because the Bobbits had found a way
To become legitimately newsworthy. He
Did the wrap-up on world events and then
Brought up the end of this controversial
Trial. I wondered exactly how he would
Convey the various sordid details. The wall


Behind MacNeil now was suddenly like this
Enormous dam with multiple visible cracks
And water beginning to leak out. Still, he
Single-handedly attempted to keep it in
Place and prevent the coarsening of the
Culture and harm to all things decent and 


Proper. “Lorena Bobbitt was found not
Guilty of ‘malicious wounding’ against
Her husband for severing his … payniss.”
MacNeil elected to mispronounce the
Offending word to make it seem genteel.
But the dam broke anyway as cable TV

And talk radio and O.J and Fox News and
The internet would soon wash away all of
The decorum that PBS and their flagship
News show had fondly cherished. Looking
Back, it was inevitable but I now can see
MacNeil bravely attempting to stop the tide

Like some Canuck King Canute and despite
All of my mockery back then, I now salute
Him for giving it the old college try.

 

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