“History with all her volumes vast, hath but one page.” – Lord Byron
“Is it only in the army in the Philippines that Americans sometimes commit deeds that cause all other Americans to regret?” – Theodore Roosevelt
“As long as the world shall last there will be wrongs, and if no man objected and no man rebelled, those wrongs would last forever.” – Clarence Darrow
When the eagle lands: Mea culpa, mea culpa, mea maxima culpa
Despite luggage filled
With packages of raisins
Jars of peanut butter
And other edibles as
Directed by Huyen
I felt as the guest who
Shows up for the feast
Empty handed – on arrival
In Da Nang
Despite numerous trips to
Tijuana in my youth
This traveler was not
Prepared for the depth
Of poverty – starvation,
Suffering at every turn
It was easy to spot
Hidden behind toothless grins
The kind gentle hands
Welcoming this foreigner
Whose generous form was
Warmly and securely enveloped in
Skeletal arms – for those still able
Fragile, contorted bodies in
Wheel chairs or makeshift
Gurneys – smile with what is
Left to them – perhaps the light
Radiating from their eyes
Their parents exposed to
Agent orange – a gift
In their own best interest
Bestowed by America,
Monsanto and Dow Chemical
The same Monsanto producing
Between 70% – 100% of all
Genetically Modified seeds
Declare war on life itself
Flashbacks of mutilated bodies
Float into my periphery
As the chemical giants
Tally ill gotten gains – where
Will they strike next?
MARS, GENERAL MILLS,
KRAFT, NESTLE, PEPSICO,
KELLOGG’S, COCA COLA
UNILEVER – make up to
90% of food at your
Neighborhood grocery retailer
Under the auspices of your
Elected officials – whose pockets
Deeply lined from corporate coffers
Sociopath ideology; no empathy, no remorse, no guilt, no shame
The masses complain and complain
Yet fail to alter consumptive practices
One month, we walked the streets
Of Da Nang – handing out sacks of
Rice and other foodstuff
Twelve years later
Yet I still feel like screaming
Alone into my pillow
“Out, damned spot! Out, I say
*
Peace
Léa
poetry, photos and musings oh my! 