Home » Poems » Keith Dovoric » Burn Those Books

Burn Those Books

I don't see no harm in asking questions
But somebody gonna tell you you’re outta your mind
I don't see no harm in a frame of reference
But somebody gonna accuse you of bein’ blind

I don't see no harm in quoting philosophy
Mythology, scientology, or the Bible
But somebody gonna come round and order you to burn those books
The dissident is on life support
And he’s fighting for survival

Burn those books --
They ain’t no good 
We’ll tell you what not to remember
And train you on what you should

I don't see no harm in raising objections
But somebody gonna call it conspiracy theory
I don't see no harm in a little reflection
But the network censors gonna bring the flames of fury

I don't see no harm in watching our past selves --
We were masters and slaves, black-face beggars and tyrants
But somebody from the Department of Truth will burn those reels
And give you false impressions
Of everything from spirit to science

Burn those films --
They're evil pure
We’ll give you new versions of the past
So that you grow up free and sure

There were cowboys, there were Indians
There were blacks and there were whites
There were women, there were men
And some of them stayed the night

There were straights and there were gays
There were gentiles and jews
There were Pharaohs at the top of the heap
And Egyptians paying all the dues

Now the letters of history don't spell pretty words
But we gotta read ‘em, anyway
‘Cause the day those pages turn up blank
Will be our species’ final day

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