I can simply no longer publish my poetry here on Xanga.  No, it's worse than that: I don't think I can ever write poetry again.

Good leaders lead by example.  And, true enough, I've been shown by example what an apparently pitiful poet I am.  How can I measure up - ever - to the following verse, penned by our brilliant commander-in-chief, and delivered with such swaying impact to the woman he loves?

Mrs. Bush revealed that President Bush had penned a poem for her when she got back from a five-day solo trip to Europe, where she attended a book festival in Moscow and visited France -- getting two kisses on the hand from French President Jacques Chirac.

"President Bush is a great leader and a husband, but I bet you didn't know he is also quite the poet," she said. "Upon returning home last night from my long trip I found a lovely poem waiting there for me."

As her husband watched quietly, she recited it.

Roses are red
Violets are blue
Oh my, lump in the bed
How I've missed you.

Bush sometimes refers to his wife as a lump in the bed.

Mrs. Bush went on:

Roses are redder
Bluer am I
Seeing you kissed
by that charming French guy.

And then the finale:

The dogs and the cat, they missed you too
Barney's still mad you dropped him, he ate your shoe
The distance, my dear, has been such a barrier
Next time you want an adventure, just land on a carrier.

My lump!  Land on a carrier!  Damn.  The surpassing brilliance!  The unimitable imagery!  The Pres sure knows how to win the women...and shatter my illusion of poetic self-potential.