-- for Diane Ravitch, author of Reign of Error --
His makers held him to the light
and fondly clasped his little paw.
In soothing tones they calmed his fright.
They added eyes and set aright
his jaw.
He blinked and beamed long ere he spoke
and took in everything he saw.
“He’s rather cute, the little bloke!”
They gave his chin a little stroke.
He squealed in awe!
They filled his head with sights and sounds
and cogitos on which to draw.
They lectured him on freedom’s grounds.
They told him when to test its bounds
and when to hem and haw.
They tested this homunculus
to see if there was any flaw.
The press was rather credulous
and deemed this process sedulous
of crafting wisdom from the raw.
Indeed, his scores are benchmarked now,
upheld and codified as law.
To question them would cause a row.
His legend is a sacred cow!
Arise! Assume the plough, o Man of Straw!