Friday 13 July 2012

Friday the Thireenth


These are the things of which you need not be afraid:

Ghoulies and ghosties, and longlegettie beasties,
And things that go bump in the night.
You need not fear them.

The wrath of a jealous deity
The nattering of a meddling priest
The tarot card’s prophecy of doom
You need not fear them.

The muttering terrorist in a head rag, plotting evil
The chainsaw wielding maniac in an ice hockey mask,
These are distant fears.
You need not fear them.

There are dangers far more profound
Threats greater by far
Of which to be afraid.

Yes, be afraid –

Of he who would bring you Freedom
At the point of a gun, torture the innocent
Destroy and occupy your nation
And kill you in the name of Liberty.

Of Empires which believe in Exceptionalism
In Divine Sanction, Chosen People
And Manifest Destiny.

Of the faceless corporation
Which would take your land and water
In the name of Holy Profit, Privatisation
And Efficiency.

Of the germs which melt flesh from bone
And for which you have no answer
Because there is more money
To be made in curing baldness
Or obesity.

Of the desert creeping, the icecaps melting
Of the planet dying
All because of resource plunder
And Enterprise that’s Free.

Of politicians who sell your trust
Of media which lies to you
Of advertisers who sell you myths
Of Consumer Society.

Of walls that lock you in
Of breathing air tainted by the smoke
Of cremated honour and savaged honesty.

Of a planet where no birds fly
Where the seas are dead
Where the burned lands lie awaiting
The true End of History.

These are the things to fear
While terrorists scowl, heroes rage 
Monsters growl on the TV screen
And vampires gnash their plastic fangs
Harmlessly.



Copyright B Purkayastha 2012

1 comment:

  1. Good advice for Friday the 13th, or any other day for that matter. Thank you.

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