POETIC EVOLUTION REVOLUTION

poetic evolution
poetic revolution

(chanting continues softly in background)

how many times
has a poet stood
at a podium
asking for justice
justice from injustice
justice for all
justice for many
not just the tall
how many times

as the guts of the
population are carved out
without divine intervention
and individuals are
shown no mercy
even to themselves
the poet speaks
asking for justice
asking for mercy
asking for understanding
how many times

poetic evolution
poetic revolution

how many times
has a poet stood
at a podium
asking for freedom
freedom from oppression
freedom from lies
simple liberty
without sighs
how many times

as tyranny carries
on in saccharine suits
and possum veils
people don’t see
their precious freedoms
slipping away
dripping away
one drop at a time
one precious freedom gone
like an acre of rain forest
like the birth of a new populace
now shackled at conception
the poet speaks simply
pointing the way

poetic evolution
poetic revolution

now this poet
is no longer asking
he is no longer demanding
he is simply being free
he is simply being just
he is simply being
he is simply caring

as you throw off the
shackles of slavery
and the yoke of oppression
throw them off
today is the day of
poetic revolution
no one can be imprisoned
without their agreement
no one can be hurt
without saying hit me
i am a target
no one can ever not be free

poetic evolution
poetic revolution

(softly goes away)

Larry Jaffe

POETIC EVOLUTION REVOLUTION