The slavery of men
I saw it giving orders
In the field of battle
The slavery of men -
Paying for both sides
Rooting for both sides
And for neither fighting
Whether it was a war
Protest, revolution
One group or another
People or the government
When they called for 'freedom'
And they called for 'righteousness'
And many called for enslaving
The slavery of men
Putting it in a prison
For forever - or killing it
But then the result
Being just a meeting
Coming out again
Slaves of smiling slavery
- - -
I saw it holding a speech
In front of a large crowd
The slavery of men -
Paying for both sides
Rooting for both sides
And embracing neither
Whether it was left
Center or the right
Whatever color they had
All the different parties
When they called for a change
And for better days
Justice and fair laws
And the rights of men
Upheld by removing
Their remaining slavery
Obviously a lie -
Having more of a burden
Paying back to slavery
Principal and interest
- - -
I then saw it featured
In the magazine of advancement
The slavery of men -
Paying for research
Rooting for the sciences
Doing itself neither
Getting most of the benefits
A little for the masses
(Desiring to be alike
Asking for an autograph)
Calling for more money
Betting all they have
On some complex scheme
Given all the logic
Hidden in the books
Paid by education
Controlled, too, by slavery
Of the finest minds
Sitting as the president
Of universities
- - -
I saw it surrounded by many
Listening to it carefully
The slavery of men -
Paying for education
Rooting for more learning
Itself emptying the mind
And calling that wisdom
Of the highest grade
Teaching in a soft voice
Teaching a loud message
Calling for more debate
For more understanding
And for no more fighting
Such as made with weapons
To accept the differences
And to help the needy
To accept the fate
Of this failing world
And in sleepy state
Forget all its lies
- - -
I saw it in a large stage
(Probably a stadium)
The slavery of men -
Paying for the poor
Rooting for the people
Itself caring for neither
Singing there for peace
Candles lit in memory
Of some fading time
Or some lost ideal
Calling for more debate
Calling for more money
Calling for a change
Calling for more freedom
The debate was the call
The money fully paid
The change (they thought) was there
The freedom in the call -
Obviously, didn't notice
The slavery of men
- - -
I saw it in a future
Two, or three, or many
The slavery of men -
Of those reading a poem
And dreaming about change
Of some singer singing
In some university
All paid by a famous
Respected businessman
Fighting politician -
Of those reading a poem
Thinking by themselves
Thinking independently
Looking for an answer
Amidst the anarchy -
And I tried to warn them
Slaves of simple poems
That in all those actions
It could still be hiding
The slavery of men