[Newspoetry] Never Forget: Mickey Killed Mortimer

[John Newmark]

Never Forget: Mickey Killed Mortimer

The Five-Four Tribunal
has agreed to review
1998's Mickey Mouse Law.

Congress chose to name the law
after the slowly-decaying corpse
once married to Cher,
but the fingerprints of The Mouse
were everywhere.

Disney has no problem
taking the works of others
and mutilating them beyond recognition.

They hide behind the public domain
while Victor Hugo rolls in his grave.

But as a wolf, they know first hand
what can happen to characters
once they reach that open prairie.
So as their creations approach age
they run to Congress for more time.

In another 20 years, we can expect
another extension. 
They'll never give up control
willingly.
And Congress will always
write laws for the wealthy.

Meanwhile, Disney
will destroy all parodies
as they did with Outland
a decade ago.