Poetry by Rowan Evans

Governments Behaving Badly: A Satirical Poetry Series [pt. 2]

Author’s Note

If Raising Governments is the exhale—laughter edged with frustration—then Government Time-Out is what comes after.

The moment humor fades, and what’s left is clarity.

This piece strips the satire down to something quieter, more direct. It’s still framed through the language of discipline, but the tone shifts from playful to firm—less about calling out behavior, and more about demanding accountability.

There’s a difference between reacting and reflecting. Between explaining something away and actually sitting with it.

Government Time-Out lives in that space.

No noise.
No spin.
Just the uncomfortable weight of consequence.

Because sometimes the most powerful thing you can do…
is stop talking—and finally listen.

— Rowan Evans

Government Time-Out
Poetry by Rowan Evans

Sit down.
No—actually, sit.

We’re not doing this today.
Not the yelling,
not the threats,
not the “I know better” attitude.

You’ve had centuries
to prove that.

And yet—
here we are.

Hands in the cookie jar,
crumbs on your face,
still trying to say
it wasn’t you.

Really?

You think we don’t see it?

All the broken plates,
the slammed doors,
the mess you keep calling
“necessary.”

No.

You don’t get to break things
and call it order.

You don’t get to hurt people
and call it policy.

So here’s what’s gonna happen.

You’re going to sit there—
quietly—
and think about
what you’ve done.

No speeches.
No spin.
No rewriting the story
to make yourself the hero.

Just sit with it.

Feel it.

For once.

And when you’re ready
to act right—
we’ll talk.

If you’re interested in more poetry, you can find it here → [The Library of Ashes]