POEMS OF RESISTANCE
POEMS OF RESISTANCE
i am not brave, or strong
but i am
concerned
afraid
dismayed
angry
and i cannot be quiet
WHAT IS TO BE DONE?
in troubled times
this question
has been asked, and asked again,
and it must now be asked again
today I wondered
what is poetry for?
or rather,
what is my poetry for?
and
what is to be done?
day to day
in all the little details of my life?
and I think back
and realize
that i was first radicalized
by books -
by poems and novels
often old ones
but with messages still new
with examples still strong
which is why they burn books
why even the books
in the imaginary canon
are often at risk
and I think back
and browse my shelves
and realize that the answer
to the question
What Is To Be Done?
is the same as always
do not comply
do not give them power
do not be afraid
for they fear nothing more
than the unafraid
and words have power, so
love the world
notice the beauty, the good, the kind
and speak out joyfully
about the need to be free
think freely
read freely
speak freely
write freely
and be unafraid
WAR OF WORDS
it is a war for language
for free speech
and for clear meanings
for poets
the right words
the best words
are breath and life
and we know
we work every day
with their depth and breadth
their resonances
their baggage
their deep anchors
in memories
and cultures
and so we must resist
when speech is sanitized
stripped down
pushed up against the wall
and told to behave
or be jailed
of course
we all know
that speech, and poems,
can be weaponized
after all,
we too fight
with and for our words
so we must not degrade them
do not return hate with hate
do not answer lies with lies
strike for the weak points
call bullshit
but do not exaggerate
this war
will be for the long run
and must be won
by clarity
and depth
not a wallow in mud
PURGING TRUTHS
my internet is ill
my computer fails me
my search engines are ailing
they have lost their strength
they cannot find what they used to find
and serve me up pretensions -
substitutes for truths
they have purged
their diversity
the algorithms
are not more intelligent
but more artificial
pushing all responses
into desired conformity
they are purging equity
the fight for fairness
for equal rights
is being taken out and beaten in the alley
the museums and libraries
are being forced
into a perverse mythology
they are avoiding inclusiveness
deviation is criminalized
oddities are expunged
the joy of variety
of challenging innovation
of celebratory absurdity
of the invention of new ways
to be your new self
are being locked in the closets
they are complying in advance
and denying the truth
they will fail
always, and forever,
we must change to live -
all new "endless forms most beautiful"
are branched off
by original variations
ANTICIPATORY COMPLIANCE
I learned a new phrase this week
"anticipatory compliance"
it comes from business,
especially those businesses
who practice careful risk management
who want to avoid
losses
lawsuits
regulators
public shame
or any public trouble at all
and it should mean
know the rules
and follow them
do what you are supposed to do
keep good records
be trustworthy
and above all,
be honest
but,
and this is a big but,
it has come to mean
court the inspectors
be careful what you write down
look out for the camera
destroy the evidence,
hire good lawyers,
don't get caught,
but if you do,
deny, lie, deny
or
for the public
which is relatively powerless
it means
keep your head down
stay out of trouble
and above all,
be afraid,
be very afraid,
don't rock the boat,
and don't put your head up and look around
to which,
I call bullshit -
do not comply
TROUBLE
you think you know trouble?
let me tell you about trouble -
trouble is not
feeling miserable
lonely or bored
stifled at a job
bad trouble is when
the grand jury throws your ass in jail
for refusing to rat out
your neighbor or your friend
bad trouble is losing
your job
your dog
your apartment
all your possessions
your friend
trouble follows you
but trouble ain't
your self-respect
your knowing right from wrong
your willingness to fight
trouble is a constant
but there is good trouble
and the fight for justice
is a struggle eternal
and
this battle has just begun
NAZI
how do you hear this?
what does it mean?
how does it make you feel?
what do you see?
this word weapon
illuminates little
obscures much
is often misused
but sometimes
in hard times
in desperate times
it is the only right word
do not confuse it
with the newsreel images
of symbols that may or may not be meaningful
it does not mean
jackboots and soldiers
it does not mean
stiff armed salutes
it does not mean
rants and ravings
to worshiping crowds
it does not always mean
and certainly does not only mean
hatred of Jews
the elevation of the ignorant
it does mean
contempt for the many
the love of power
simply for power's sake
the authority of few
the hate of some others
libeled and stigmatized others
the manipulation of fears
the demonization of opponents
and
denial of inconvenient facts
it comes in disguise
wearing suits
with eloquent speech
good educations
careful legal arguments
suppression of critics
disregard for law
resistance to openness
and
contempt for those
whom they consider
weak, undesirable,
or simply other
above all,
it elevates the few
and allows no value
for the poor,
the ill, the unlucky,
the old,
or,
worst of all,
the unusual
so learn this word
keep it available
but do not misuse it
do not abuse it
for when it is used
too early, too often
it loses its sting
but save it
keep it ready
a word weapon
for when it is needed
for times like these
NEVER UNDERESTIMATE THEM
when I wake up in the morning
I give in to temptation
and let the mockery on social media
arouse me and raise me up
but then I remember -
never underestimate your enemy
it is too easy to distract ourselves
by making jokes
when you vilify
when you mock as fools and clowns
when you disparage
the intelligence and judgment
of those whom you should fear
you open yourself to error
you may relieve yourself, reduce your fears,
release anxiety in laughter
but beware
remember
you cannot fight lies with lies
the best defense against half truths
is not mockery
but the whole truth
mock the leaders to weaken them
but mock them best in their own words
attack their contradictions
find their hypocrisies
reveal their self interests
don't mock their followers just for following
do not assume they are stupid
just because you think they are mistaken
they know where the library is
most of them read as much as you do
(but not the same things)
be particular
don't make assumptions
do not answer rudeness with rudeness
but call out the rude
film the violent
document the hypocrites
greet hatefulness
with openness
fight their leaders
but, when you can,
be merciful to their followers
hear them
listen
listen for the fear
respect their losses
even the imagined ones
and
ask them why
they disrespect you
it is hard
to be patient
so
think of it as
stubbornness
not politeness
persistence
not mercy
resistance
not concurrence
resistance
is not always
a lightning bolt
or a flood -
sometimes
it must be glacial
so
mock and laugh
to get up in the morning
to weaken the vain and the mighty
to find relief
to share solidarity -
but
never, never
think it is enough
mockery may weaken
but it does not defeat
do not indulge in contempt
for that risks underestimation
and that serves the enemy
resist
speak freely
write freely
support,
above all,
the resistance
of the bravest among us
and help them
speak, write, and act
freely
there is a cancer in our country
and it is at the top
in the worship of wealth
the glorification of the few
the theft of power
by a minority
and it must be removed
so,
when they come to you
asking
suggesting
requiring
ordering
you
to do what you know is wrong
do not comply
but never underestimate them
A GIFT FOR YOU
Do you really need things?
The catalogs have little
that would truly
offer you a blessing,
nothing holy,
little good,
though much that plays at piety or virtue.
Instead of things,
the best I can offer you
is your freedom
to be good
and act well in the world.
First,
we must cast aside
The Ten Commandments:
five statements about power,
plus five prohibitions.
Neither prayers nor ideologies
nor ritual purity
truly do good,
or change the world,
but actions do.
Second,
the necessary and sacred
acts of compassion,
the only gifts worth giving,
are to help others,
to be willing to give.
Practice these:
Feed the hungry,
give drink to the thirsty,
clothe the naked,
shelter the homeless,
care for the sick,
aid the imprisoned,
bury the dead,
teach the ignorant,
give books to the curious,
speak freely,
challenge the certain.
These are sufficient.
The Kingdom of Heaven
is within you.
WHAT IS TO BE DONE
in troubled times
this question
has been asked, and asked again,
and it must now be asked again
today I wondered
what is poetry for?
or rather,
what is my poetry for?
and
what is to be done?
day to day
in all the little details of my life?
and I think back
and realize
that i was first radicalized
by books -
by poems and novels
often old ones
but with messages still new
with examples still strong
which is why they burn books
why even the books
in the imaginary canon
are often at risk
and I think back
and browse my shelves
and realize that the answer
to the question
What Is To Be Done?
is the same as always
do not comply
do not give them power
do not be afraid
for they fear nothing more
than the unafraid
and words have power, so
love the world
notice the beauty, the good, the kind
and speak out joyfully
about the need to be free
think freely
read freely
speak freely
write freely
and be unafraid