Wednesday, August 15, 2018

Is This Land My Land? Is This Land Your Land?


***

swastikas waving
in American cities
worst nightmare come true

***

the Oval Office -
rich white men grin with dead eyes
White House aptly named

***

democracy means
flag, votes, rights, justice for all ~
where has it gone?

***

a 5-5-7:

red maple leaf flies
our bright hopes and dreams -
right-wing rising in the east


for Susan's prompt at Midweek Motif: National Flags. Title taken from the famous song.

22 comments:

  1. OMG. You brush aside the cover-ups and we can see the white "right wing rising in the east." And the west. Pow!

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  2. A wonderful poem!! Yesterday, I saw my first leaf fall from a tree, autumn is in the air!

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  3. It's a dark, dark world that we are living and will leave behind. What a contrast: 'red maple leaf' and 'right wing'!! Sigh...

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  4. White House being aptly named is such a resonant thought. It's such a pity that we are still living in a white (privileged) man's world — all the dominant and majoritarian ideas have found such a resurgence lately that it is so scary.
    Well thought and articulated, Sherry.

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  5. Each haiku carries strong political concerns. As reader i am left aghast
    Thanks for dropping by my blog today Sherry

    Much🇹🇹love

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  6. The senryu cut to the point. I am a bit surprised you did not write about your own national flag instead of pointing out all the bad from the American admin, except for the one at the end.

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  7. What happens in the US impacts us hugely, Toni...and has kept me discouraged all year....it is creeping across the border, which is why I left Canada for last. I like HA's comment - this syndrome is strong, and pervasive.

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  8. On Tuesday, Canadian democracy took a huge step backwards with the passing of the new Toronto Act by Premier Ford. In midstream, has changed the size and complexion of Toronto's next city council, without any public input. We have 3 years and 10 months with this autocrat still. Heavens have mercy on Toronto and Ontario.

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  9. I was horrified when he got in, having experienced his brother's behaviour in politics, I knew where we were headed. First thing they do is set everything back decades. Gah.

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  10. Rulers like this remind me of the monarchs domineering many countries over a hundred years ago and more. Democracy was developed to eliminate this sort of behavior but it looks as though yet it has crept back in again.

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  11. It's the rising of the right wing that makes all of us apprehensive...

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  12. Yes, Sherry, there is a flip-side to flag waving and you have brought it home so clearly.

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  13. I fear America is not so far away as we here 'Downunder' sometimes like to delude ourselves.

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  14. I agree with Sumana in that it is a dark dark world in which we live and will leave behind us, a horror for our children to inherit.
    Hatred and distrust spreads like a disease, it is a path humans have taken many times before and we never learn... wherever we live, whatever religion we practice, whatever hue of our skin....
    Anna

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  15. Replies
    1. Yes. It did. The comment was long for Google + so I expanded it into a blog post.

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  16. The middle two stanzas could have been my thoughts every time I turn on the TV (not that leaving it off helps), although I consider it a light in the dark when stated as plainly and well as these lines.

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  17. " democracy means
    flag, votes, rights, justice for all ~
    where has it gone?"
    Yes, as surprising it sounds, it's true in our case at least, Sherry !! The larger question we all should ask is how we can rescue the democracy from our respective (politicians’) hands.
    Potent pieces...beautifully penned.

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  18. Can't stand the guy in the US as he has trumped all the good things and respect of that office....

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  19. In these parts of the world as well, Sherry. People forced to migrate. People suddenly becoming unwelcome. People finding their names struck off the registry. And that's the least of it.

    Waves of insanity washing through our lands, Sherry and I wonder where we headed in a few years from now

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