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Welcome to the commentary magazine daily podcast.

Today is Tuesday, August 31st, 2021.

I am John Pajor.

It's the editor of commentary magazine.

And I'm going to begin this podcast by reading homage

to a government by Philip Larkin.

Next year, we are to bring all the soldiers home

for lack of money.

And it is all right.

Places they guarded or kept orderly must guard themselves

and keep themselves orderly.

We want the money for ourselves at home instead of working.

And this is all right.

It's hard to say who wanted it to happen.

By now, it's been decided nobody minds.

The places are a long way off, not here, which is all right.

And from what we hear, the soldiers there

only made trouble happen.

Next year, we shall be easier in our minds.

Next year, we shall be living in a country

that brought its soldiers home for lack of money.

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