House of Paine

Franklin ...my first American idol

he looked a little like 
                  my father

in fact 
  he might have been my father 
        if some goddess
      grand  mother 
          had bothered 
 to   perfect  my old man 
                   for me 

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what was there not to like 

  learned things 
           mostly on his own 
    ran away from boston

         made money
               easily 
retired in his  40's 
            
         lived long
     saw all
           got to be  bald and fat 
     and
         along the way        
    did dangerous experiments
                invented really useful stuff 
          formed keen outfits 
                  like fire departments 
                                 and mail services

              and jolly as he was
              he had
              a  foxy version
                  of
                the don't tread on me
                           side to him 

             raised quiet
                       parlor  rebel hell.....
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         i 've come  to think of him differently now

            but that first  take  at ten
                                  was the best one


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