an American thinks of Russia
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By seannelson
- 2921 reads
The newswoman says there's
a new if familiar
arch-demon
loose on the world,
while with soft baritone strokes,
the handsome, cavalier newsman
smoothly paints
an entertaining canvas of
a hungry, rabid devil bear
flying the hammer-and-sickle,
loose on the night
of noble Ukraine,
before filling in the holes
with erudite cliches
and the latest fashionable quote
imagining America
as a polished paradise,
I smugly think of Stalin's cold purges
and "Animal Farm,"
and envision a heroic tank parade,
as I tap my feet
to the catchy war-drum beat
but an hour later,
caught in
a smoggy, political traffic jam,
with no way to vote out,
Tchaikovsky comes
on the radio
like a masterfully melodic valkyrie,
summoning beautiful images
of bright-colored spires,
Pasternak's pastoral countryside,
and of the poet Pushkin
taking tea after
a close but victorious duel
I imagine my cousins
'defending democracy'
(driven on by
their boss officers'
relentless giant thumb,)
giving and taking
deathly fire
on the corpse-adorned field
of sacred battle
(I picture the newswoman's
pretty smirk, red dress,
and imperial air)
And then the repressed reality
returns to me,
as I see the devil bear
turn from Russia
to Iraq
to sly-eyed China,
to the kaiser's Germany,
to Vietnam,
to the followers
of Martin Luther King
(trailed by protective agents,)
bleeding on the wrong side
of a black-and-white screen
that has since gained color
but not nuance
I know America.
I've lived her city-scapes;
I've travelled
her sprawling highways.
I know her heaven,
I know her hell.
and I know
that she should
not supremely dominate
the entire world,
and that this
is the mad goal
of many powerful,
arrogant souls...
those many-ringed,
many-faced, neo-Mongol trolls
who gather at Hiltons
for high seminar-balls
and pull silver-strings
to light the fire
of the newswoman's coat
and inspire
her charming confidence
and charismatic spasms,
along with these whole pre-scripted,
fire-side conversations
that help the masses believe
we live on democracy's moon,
when out truth's window
is a view
of a vast and mighty,
essentially oligarchic empire,
exporting our ballots and boardwalks,
our smoothies, our drones, and our togas...
while extorting fealty and treasure
from Thailand, from London,
from Egypt,
from small far-flung nations
we couldn't possibly name
because we don't care,
unless they're to be blamed
as a rogue-nation or scape-bear
but our own culture
is aggressive, crass and empty
and we're not truly free...
we're not democratic Athens
but imperial Rome,
living in 7 bedroom houses
and watching helmeted gladiators
under the super-dome,
and I guess to many
that feels like home...
so Hannibal and Spartacus
and their armies
must be evil gnomes
but once they're conquered,
our masters are strong...
and their gratitude,
it won't last long.
they'll want more oil;
they'll want more gold;
they'll want our votes
on where we're sold
see,
Mother Russia
may be cold and cruel
but one can see
through inches of wool...
that her offense
is not being
a Yankee tool
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Comments
Russians are depicted in ways we normally don't see them
You see a lot in American movies and TV shows along with books that Russians are always depicted as gangsters as well as dangerous soldiers and spies, like the KGB, whatever. It's like everything is always political in American media when it comes to Russians.
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we're all capitalists now
we're all capitalists now comrade.
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If Russia's a bear Britain's
If Russia's a bear Britain's a bulldog with mange and festering sores. Only the politicians though, the rest of us are OK.
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Epic! Whoever's wearing the
Epic! Whoever's wearing the hat is prone let it go to his head! I guess we all have to take some responsibilty though, powerless or not. Really enjoyed reading this.
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Interesting poem. I like the
Interesting poem. I like the subject. The West criticises Russia too readily perhaps. America has its own inequities and problems. Its economy has been struggling too much in recent years. The American people are just a labour resource to be bought and sold like cattle. The bankers made a complete mess of the whole world economy. What good is democracy if it cannot improve the life of the people?
Perhaps we should never have believed that Ukraine could gain true independence from Russia. Putin should make it clear to the West and the Ukraine what he or they really want, then we might be able to see a resolution to this nasty civil war which has been getting far too big. Do they want some territory off the Ukraine or will they not stop until they have gained control and/or influence over the Ukraine again?
I like the way you compared America to Rome and Sparta.
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I agree with Catherine and
I agree with Catherine and Annest, seannelson. Wow! A powerful and detailed piece. Had me wishing I had your muse. Chimes with some thoughts I've been having on elites and chauvinism. The Great Game and its descendent players. There's not much in it for the rest of us. Exhilarating piece.
Parson Thru
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