Re: Poems of Liberation & Revolution

[Kevin Lindemann and Cathy Campo <kklcac@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

> I am making a list.
> What are your favourites?

Since others have responded with song lyrics, I?d like to mention one of
my favorite songwriters, the late Ewan MacColl. He was a real
working-class intellectual and a lifelong communist (first with a
capital "C," later with a small "c"). His range as a songwriter was
incredible, going from tender love songs (he?s best known as the author
of "The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face") to biting political songs.
Below are two of my favorites. For those who are interested in learning
more about MacColl?s life and work, the Working Class Movement Library
has an excellent web site about him
(http://www.wcml.org.uk/em/timeline.html).

?Kevin Lindemann

THE BALLAD OF ACCOUNTING

In the morning we built the city
In the afternoon walked thru its streets
Evening saw us leaving: We wandered through 
our days as if they would never end,
All of us imagined we had endless time to 
spend,
We hardly saw the crossroads and small 
attention gave,
To landmarks on the journey from the cradle
 to the grave,
Cradle to the grave, cradle to the grave.
Did you learn to dream in the morning?
Abandon dreams in the afternoon?
Wait without hope in the evening?
Did you stand there in the traces and let ?em
feed you lies?
Did you trail along behind 'em wearing 
blinkers on your eyes?
Did you kiss the foot that kicked you?
Did you thank 'em for their scorn?
Did you ask for their forgiveness for the
 act of being born,
Act of being born, act of being born?
Did you alter the face of the city?
Make any change in the world you found?
Or did you observe all the warnings?
Did you read the trespass notices, did you
keep off the grass?
Did you shuffle off the pavement just to let
your betters pass?
Did you learn to keep your mouth shut, were 
you seen and never heard?
Did you learn to be obedient and jump to, at 
a word,
Jump to at a word, jump to at a word?
Did you ever demand any answers, the who and 
the what and the reason why?
Did you ever question the set-up?
Did you stand aside and let 'em choose while 
you took second best?
Did you let 'em skim the cream off and then 
give to you the rest?
Did you settle for the shoddy, and did you
 think It right
To let 'em rob you right and left and never 
make a fight? (etc.)
What did you learn in the morning?
How much did you know in the afternoon?
Were you content in the evening?
Did they teach you how to question when you
were at the school?
Did the factory help you grow, were you the 
maker or the tool?
Did the place where you were living enrich 
your life, and then
Did you reach some understanding of all your 
fellow men? (etc)

WE DON'T WANT TO LIVE LIKE THAT

We've learned to distinguish the hollow men 
from the rest 
At spotting the phonies we have passed our 
test, 
Their objectivity's all a bluff, 
Their ethical standards' shoddy stuff, 
Their world's not good enough for us: 
WE DON'T WANT TO LIVE LIKE THAT!

We've learned that we're free to learn and 
think and know
Providing we don't disturb the status quo: 
Serve the truth that serves the nation, 
Guarantee your graduation,
 Then you can fool the next generation 
WE DON'T WANT TO LIVE LIKE THAT!

We've learned that a man in some things may be wise: 
And yet wear social blinkers on his eyes 
Top man in a scientific team 
And the sound of burning children screaming 
Doesn't disturb his self-esteem, 
WE DON'T WANT TO LIVE LIKE THAT!

We've learned to beware of the smiler with the knife, 
Who offers to geld you, cut you off from life 
He offers a world without collision 
A cozy world of complete submission, 
Never a need for real decision, 
WE DON'T WANT TO LIVE LIKE THAT!

We've learned how to question everything we've been told,
By learned men who have been bought and 
sold:
Their detachment's only a damned excuse
To sit back on their arse and be no use
While the neck of the world's fitted for 
the noose,
WE DON'T WANT TO LIVE LIKE THAT!

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