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Poetry to the Rescue of America's Soul
"I'm junk but I'm still holding up this little wild bouquet: Democracy is coming to the U.S.A."
May 28, 2017
As President Donald Trump's (is this true or is it only a passingvnightmare?) wrecking machine continues its steady work of destroying
everything that is dear to Americans, two poets, Roque Dalton (1935-1975), a Salvadoran poet and Langston Hughes (1902-1967), a poet of the dispossessed, seem to have presaged Trump presidency's characteristics and effects.
In his poem "Variations on a Phrase by Christ" Roque Dalton says,
"Give unto God that which is God's
and to the government of the rich
that which belongs to the government of the rich.
But,
what more can we give the government of the rich
if with the help of its government the rich have already
finished
ripping us off for everything?"
There doesn't seem to be any escape from evil, any way in which common citizens can defend their hard-earned rights and liberties from Trump and his minions' "carnage" (one of Trump's favorite words). In his poem "Memory and Questions" Dalton says,
"Oh night of fake lights,
glitter made of obscurity:
where should I run
other than to my own soul,
the soul that wanted to be a flag returning
and which they want to transform into a despicable rug
in this temple of merchants?"
(translation by Jack Hirschman)
But if not for ourselves, at least for our children, we should unite to respond to these attacks on our lives, liberties and the environment. In his poem "Let America be America Again" Langston Hughes says,
"Out of the rack and ruin of our gangster death,
The rape and rot of graft, and stealth, and lies,
We, the people, must redeem
The land, the mines, the plants, the rivers.
The mountains and the endless plain--
All, all the stretch of these great green states--
And make America again!
It is indeed possible that after this period of turmoil we may reach that beautiful stage when democracy and justice will come back to
America. As Leonard Cohen says in his song "Democracy",
I'm sentimental, if you know what I mean
I love the country but I can't stand the scene.
And I'm neither left or right
I'm just staying home tonight,
getting lost in that hopeless little screen.
But I'm stubborn as those garbage bags
that Time cannot decay,
I'm junk but I'm still holding up
this little wild bouquet:
Democracy is coming to the U.S.A.
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Dear Common Dreams reader, It’s been nearly 30 years since I co-founded Common Dreams with my late wife, Lina Newhouser. We had the radical notion that journalism should serve the public good, not corporate profits. It was clear to us from the outset what it would take to build such a project. No paid advertisements. No corporate sponsors. No millionaire publisher telling us what to think or do. Many people said we wouldn't last a year, but we proved those doubters wrong. Together with a tremendous team of journalists and dedicated staff, we built an independent media outlet free from the constraints of profits and corporate control. Our mission has always been simple: To inform. To inspire. To ignite change for the common good. Building Common Dreams was not easy. Our survival was never guaranteed. When you take on the most powerful forces—Wall Street greed, fossil fuel industry destruction, Big Tech lobbyists, and uber-rich oligarchs who have spent billions upon billions rigging the economy and democracy in their favor—the only bulwark you have is supporters who believe in your work. But here’s the urgent message from me today. It's never been this bad out there. And it's never been this hard to keep us going. At the very moment Common Dreams is most needed, the threats we face are intensifying. We need your support now more than ever. We don't accept corporate advertising and never will. We don't have a paywall because we don't think people should be blocked from critical news based on their ability to pay. Everything we do is funded by the donations of readers like you. When everyone does the little they can afford, we are strong. But if that support retreats or dries up, so do we. Will you donate now to make sure Common Dreams not only survives but thrives? —Craig Brown, Co-founder |
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Cesar Chelala
Dr. Cesar Chelala is an international public health consultant, co-winner of an Overseas Press Club of America award and two national journalism awards from Argentina.
As President Donald Trump's (is this true or is it only a passingvnightmare?) wrecking machine continues its steady work of destroying
everything that is dear to Americans, two poets, Roque Dalton (1935-1975), a Salvadoran poet and Langston Hughes (1902-1967), a poet of the dispossessed, seem to have presaged Trump presidency's characteristics and effects.
In his poem "Variations on a Phrase by Christ" Roque Dalton says,
"Give unto God that which is God's
and to the government of the rich
that which belongs to the government of the rich.
But,
what more can we give the government of the rich
if with the help of its government the rich have already
finished
ripping us off for everything?"
There doesn't seem to be any escape from evil, any way in which common citizens can defend their hard-earned rights and liberties from Trump and his minions' "carnage" (one of Trump's favorite words). In his poem "Memory and Questions" Dalton says,
"Oh night of fake lights,
glitter made of obscurity:
where should I run
other than to my own soul,
the soul that wanted to be a flag returning
and which they want to transform into a despicable rug
in this temple of merchants?"
(translation by Jack Hirschman)
But if not for ourselves, at least for our children, we should unite to respond to these attacks on our lives, liberties and the environment. In his poem "Let America be America Again" Langston Hughes says,
"Out of the rack and ruin of our gangster death,
The rape and rot of graft, and stealth, and lies,
We, the people, must redeem
The land, the mines, the plants, the rivers.
The mountains and the endless plain--
All, all the stretch of these great green states--
And make America again!
It is indeed possible that after this period of turmoil we may reach that beautiful stage when democracy and justice will come back to
America. As Leonard Cohen says in his song "Democracy",
I'm sentimental, if you know what I mean
I love the country but I can't stand the scene.
And I'm neither left or right
I'm just staying home tonight,
getting lost in that hopeless little screen.
But I'm stubborn as those garbage bags
that Time cannot decay,
I'm junk but I'm still holding up
this little wild bouquet:
Democracy is coming to the U.S.A.
Cesar Chelala
Dr. Cesar Chelala is an international public health consultant, co-winner of an Overseas Press Club of America award and two national journalism awards from Argentina.
As President Donald Trump's (is this true or is it only a passingvnightmare?) wrecking machine continues its steady work of destroying
everything that is dear to Americans, two poets, Roque Dalton (1935-1975), a Salvadoran poet and Langston Hughes (1902-1967), a poet of the dispossessed, seem to have presaged Trump presidency's characteristics and effects.
In his poem "Variations on a Phrase by Christ" Roque Dalton says,
"Give unto God that which is God's
and to the government of the rich
that which belongs to the government of the rich.
But,
what more can we give the government of the rich
if with the help of its government the rich have already
finished
ripping us off for everything?"
There doesn't seem to be any escape from evil, any way in which common citizens can defend their hard-earned rights and liberties from Trump and his minions' "carnage" (one of Trump's favorite words). In his poem "Memory and Questions" Dalton says,
"Oh night of fake lights,
glitter made of obscurity:
where should I run
other than to my own soul,
the soul that wanted to be a flag returning
and which they want to transform into a despicable rug
in this temple of merchants?"
(translation by Jack Hirschman)
But if not for ourselves, at least for our children, we should unite to respond to these attacks on our lives, liberties and the environment. In his poem "Let America be America Again" Langston Hughes says,
"Out of the rack and ruin of our gangster death,
The rape and rot of graft, and stealth, and lies,
We, the people, must redeem
The land, the mines, the plants, the rivers.
The mountains and the endless plain--
All, all the stretch of these great green states--
And make America again!
It is indeed possible that after this period of turmoil we may reach that beautiful stage when democracy and justice will come back to
America. As Leonard Cohen says in his song "Democracy",
I'm sentimental, if you know what I mean
I love the country but I can't stand the scene.
And I'm neither left or right
I'm just staying home tonight,
getting lost in that hopeless little screen.
But I'm stubborn as those garbage bags
that Time cannot decay,
I'm junk but I'm still holding up
this little wild bouquet:
Democracy is coming to the U.S.A.
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