Article by John Derbyshire

America’s armies, airplanes and aces
Boldly, by bombing, blast Bin-Laden’s bases.

Carefully, Colin corrals coalition —
Dogged, determined, deflects dumb derision.

Every extraneous enmity ends.
Firefighters fall facing flames — freedom’s friends!

George gathers generals, grimly gives glower —
History’s handed him heroic hour.

Ingenious, insures Islamic inaction;
Jolts jeremiahs — joins Jefferson! Jackson!

Kipling knew Kabul, knew Kandahar’s killers;
Longstanding lawlessness, landless  land-tillers.

(Millionaire Mike meets municipal mess;
Newcomer, novice — nice, nonetheless.)

Omar’s outwitted our own operation —
Pakistan?  Possible prevarication.

Quoted, Qaeda-ian quashes “quit” question;
Ranger ranks rally — Rumsfeldt’s redemption.

Savages soon stand surrounded, soon smashed.
Twin towers toppled?  Taliban trashed!

U.S.A. urges  Usama’s undoing —
Video-ed vainglory — vexatious viewing.

“W” won’t waver, won’t wobble, won’t whine —
X-chromosomically x-ed Xmastime!

Yuletide?  Year-end?  Yanks, yelling: “Yield!”
Zap zealots’ zigzagging! — zeroize zeal!

All applaud avenging angel:  America!  

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[Notes.  This is a challenging verse form, first launched, on the English-speaking world at any rate, by Alaric Alexander Watts (1797-1864).  I tackle it from time to time, with mixed results.  I did one for the print National Review at the time of the Clinton impeachment:

Congressional critics cry: “Come clean! Confess!

Don’t deny DNA dribbled down dress!”

...but the editor judged it “unsuitable” for the magazine, I can’t imagine why.  This one is not bad, scans pretty well, the rhymes or near-rhymes all acceptable or near-acceptable.  And look! — it begins and ends with my favorite word.]