Averted

The government’s not shutting down;
That’s really a relief.
It would have caused some folks’ vacations
To be rather brief.

Imagine planning for a year
To visit the Grand Canyon.
Instead, you’re stuck outside the gate
With family or companion.

“The Canyon’s closed,” you would be told.
“The government’s on strike.”
And you could argue, ‘cause they couldn’t say –
“Go take a hike!”

‘Cause that is what you’d hoped to do,
Plus gaze and gape and gawk;
Instead, you’d have to turn around
As Congress tried to talk.

The worst I heard, though, if they’d shut,
Could almost make you laugh –
The Congressmen would get full pay,
But soldiers only half!

Thank goodness that this crisis has
Been suddenly averted,
‘Cause shutting down the nation’s parks
Seems totally perverted!