Long ago, a white man came to my land.
To plunder, steal, and cheat
Today, they tell me: Do not trust the white man.
Fear the white man for what he has done.
Long ago, a slant-eyed man came to my land
To kill, rape, and pillage
Today, they tell me: Do not trust the slant-eyed men.
Fear the slant-eyed men for what they have done.
Long ago, a bearded man came to my land.
To lie, deceive, and take
Today, they tell me: Do not trust the bearded men.
Fear the bearded men for what they have done.
Today, the hated has the most hatred: An enclave of ignorance.
Where isolation brews from the dinner table instead of food.
Step by step, our ignorance ensues.
Revolution, we call for.
Three hundred sixty degrees: A revolution ends nothing but dignity.
Today, here, it is different.
The white men, the slant-eyed, and the bearded were everywhere.
Wherever I looked, they held hands.
When the colorful threads come together to form a beautiful fabric.
When the concept of a homeland fades, for a true home is where we seek refuge.
But when a man hates, and hates, does it fade away?
Or does it explode?
I really liked the theme/message of your poem and the way you described this theme through the use of metaphors. I especially like the metaphor you made about the dinner table.
ReplyDelete1)"Three hundred sixty degrees" I like this analogy
ReplyDelete2)"Today, the hated has the most hatred: An enclave of ignorance." is my favorite line
3) Your poem reminds me of Cry the Beloved Country
I think that the repetition of "long ago" and "came to my land" is very interesting and powerful. My favorite line is "When the colorful threads come together to form a beautiful fabric," because it paints a large, detailed picture in my mind. Also, I think that the different ways you described the men was very creative.
ReplyDeleteThe repetitive structure in the stanza is amazing. The "long ago, a _ man came to my land. To _,_, and _." and the similar repeated phrases too. It not only sets the tone for the poem, but also gives perspective, and connects these views. I really like this structure and the overall message of the poem.
ReplyDeleteI like how you used repetition in your poem. It makes it more interesting and more fun to read. The last bit of your poem was really cool.
ReplyDelete"Today, the hated has the most hatred: An enclave of ignorance." Wow. (Also nice use of HGAP terms!)
ReplyDelete