Said Statesman A to Statesman Z: <br />'What can we tax that is not paying? <br />We’re taxing every blessed thing— <br />Here’s what our people are defraying: <br /> <br />'Tariff tax, income tax, <br />Tax on retail sales, <br />Club tax, school tax, <br />Tax on beers and ales, <br /> <br />'City tax, county tax, <br />Tax on obligations, <br />War tax. wine tax, <br />Tax on corporations, <br /> <br />'Brewer tax, sewer tax, <br />Tax on motor cars, <br />Bond tax, stock tax, <br />Tax on liquor bars, <br /> <br />'Bridge tax, check tax, <br />Tax on drugs and pills, <br />Gas tax, ticket tax, <br />Tax on gifts in wills, <br /> <br />'Poll tax, dog tax, <br />Tax on money loaned, <br />State tax, road tax, <br />Tax on all things owned, <br /> <br />'Stamp tax, land tax, <br />Tax on wedding ring, <br />High tax, low tax, <br />Tax on everything!' <br /> <br />Said Statesman A to Statesman Z: <br />'That is the list, a pretty bevy; <br />No thing or act that is untaxed; <br />There’s nothing more on which to levy.' <br /> <br />Said Statesman Z to Statesman A: <br />'The deficit each moment waxes; <br />This is no time for us to fail— <br />We will decree a tax on taxes.'<br /><br />Ellis Parker Butler<br /><br />http://www.poemhunter.com/poem/the-final-tax/
