[Erik Olson]

Changeable

Stocks and the man, I sing bore cunning schemes
in droves, whom posher suburbs housed in dreams.
Both spawned. To Madoff's ship upstarts were lured
by Velvet Ropes. As blind, Bern gave his word.
Both struck new lives, eluding old that bored them—
their feckless stations—neither could afford them.
Nature Bern sniffed for greed—nose sensitive
like hounds, pragmatic—spared no relative:
Lux feasts; whiz courted more than seen, aloof;
sung earnings; high name-dropping; pomp served proof.
His lust drove theirs against them; lust believed
dangled quick mills. no tender unreceived.
Bern's promised gifts were madness to forgo;
to not proved madness, Charter Nine, and woe.
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