Quackery

huckster leers
rope a dope
read the fears
feed the hope
tell them what
     they want to hear
scramble squish
     their frontal lobe

hear the cheers
play the trope
sure to wear
a stethoscope
you're the savior
     of the year
grift until
     you seem adroit

long as most
     believe your lie
belief itself
     might make it fly
but in the end
the truth will
out your snake oil skin
won't hide the gout

(Poetry Scales 72)