Martial Dances

We live in strange times, my brother men make money with war dances and occupation... Do you not see the bombardments and the pillaging? Under the boot you are worn out, these days the sweat of your brow no longer serves you! Tanks come from distant lands passing down your streets demanding to know why you were born! And you can say nothing. Soon, if this continues, it will be the course of progress to be denied learning. One speaks of the rights of man here and there. Do not believe those rumors! You see that nothing is in place now! We live in strange times my brother, arms dealing, construction governing the land. Is it so difficult to understand? They sell the merchandise of war! Come listen to my counsel. Don't marry, it is unsupportable to suffer the massacre of your children. The success of your affairs depends on producing fictitious enemies to menace... In this manner they take over small countries one after the other under the pretext of saving them. While you fight amongst yourselves others consume your underground resources. What should I tell you; do these times plant sorrow in your hearts? Be a little understanding! Increase the number of fratricidal wars, divide your people further to make the lives of the invaders easier. Do not forget that to destroy love requires only this: Live in a society without love and don't educate anyone... Live in the clarity of obscurity, depend only on yourself! The sun rises and sets on time... the throats of cocks are cut that sing before the hour! We live in strange times my brother, men make money with war dances and occupation... Do you not see the bombardments and the pillaging? By Uzeyir Lokman CAYCI Paris - 17.03.2003 Traduit par by Yakup YURT en français French free verse translated into English free verse by Joneve McCormick - 2003