Joan Chen
The Ones,
the Others
A poem for the ‘red shirts’ in Bangkok
For the left in Pakistan, for the
‘indigenes’ of the Altiplano
I hear you saying that
left and
right have no meaning
and I can see your point
What meaning should we attribute
to these terms today
when the ones and the others
in so many countries
embrace the same policies?
Cut
down on welfare
education
culture!
cut taxes for companies!
They increase
what they choose to call
competition…
The loneliness
of people…
when these are told:
Fend for yourself! No one
is on your side!
What can I say in response?
What can I answer – ?
When the foundering regimes in
the East
lied as much
as ours!
And better even, you add
forcing me to be silent…
What can I say when
none of them
cared for the world
nature, its beauty and manifold wealth
fellowmen going hungry…
They robbed, they stole
from the common treasure trove
thinking it was free
free to be wasted
and carelessly spoiled
No, left and right lose every meaning
if they act like this
if they distrust
the people
if all that matters to them
is holding on
to the power they wield
And still, and still
in my dream at night
in my unvanquished hopes
I discover the alternative
I sense the beauty
of common folk
like you and me
and I see a way out
an escape from the impassé
that has made left and right
sound like hollow words
words without meaning
Yes, we can share
… can be cooperative
can be friendly
and help one another
And we can do
without the powerful
who ruin our world
April 12, 2010
go back to Art
and Society # 15
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