Thursday, January 12, 2006

Putty of the Western World

There is a certain anger in a region of the East,
Where clerics rule the day and guard their honor to the least,

Where insults to their class are censored (not allowed to see the light),
The system’s quite effective, showing off their weighty might.

The younger generation, which emulates the West,
Won’t accept that theocratic rule is probably the best.

Having missed the revolution, being born a few years late,
There are aspects of true freedom they do not appreciate.

That despotic rule of tyrants is expelled they cannot see.
They know they want to imitate what’s on satellite TV.

Believing in a better world in the Western Hemisphere,
And seeking their identities in the “culture” they see there,

They’ve lost the sense of liberty their parents fought to gain.
And search for satisfaction in a worldview that’s insane.

Their clothes are slowly falling off; their dignities are lost.
They seek a brand new in-group, and don’t calculate the cost.

Forgetting their own culture, their ancestral heritage,
They vainly make a struggle, to conform to the new age.

The other side of earth laughs at their foolish, vain attempts.
The Western world looks on in cunning, cruel contempt.

The old man Uncle Sam has got them in his grip.
His master plan is working, they’re surely soon to slip.

In foolish adoration of consumer culture fads,
Despising parent’s intrusiveness and a government gone bad,

Having lost their sense of purpose, and following the stream,
With an imbecilic blindness, in a net of artful schemes,

With an illusory goal in mind, worshipping false idols,
With the intention of acceptance, they’ve lost all their morals.

Sad old bearded faces look on helplessly and dreading.
“What happened to the work we did, to prevent all this from spreading?”

“Who’s at fault?” we wonder, shepherd, sheep or fox?
Who has caused the helpless children to be utterly so lost?

Has the shepherd been neglectful of his multitude of flocks?
Has he made the field too vast and let them roam too far to dock?

No, his eye’s been watchful, and he’s banned the poisoned herb…
Then what has caused this trouble, this rebellion so unheard…

Of course, we know he’s been a tiny tad too strict.
A field to graze, he’s given, but too small and in such constrict!

“And what can be beyond this fence?” they wonder with a sigh,
The grass invariably greener on that far, restricted side.

And as Adam’s apple tempts, the devil’s grass does too.
And the sneaky serpent slyly slips in, with a charm or two.

Lo and behold! The evil has set in.
And as did the children of Israel, they exalt the calf of sin!

And though the warnings came, invariable and strong,
They carried off on their parade, and said: “Come join this throng!”

And in their net of fantasies, the glitter in their eyes,
They made a feast of forbidden fruit, believing in true lies.

The promise of the devil is invariably broke,
And we know the dark bond in which their names were feverishly wrote!

For the gains they’ll gain are nothing, they have paid with their own souls!
And though they are responsible, another can’t repose.

For who was first to deprive them of their childish, wanton hopes?
And who did strive to guide them by binding them with ropes?

And though they blocked their ears to reason, who listened to their needs?
Who let the devil infiltrate, with his selfishness and greed?

Whose vain attempts at censorship caused anger to unfold?
Who tried to block out something that he could not hope to hold?

Who did not see, he should let it be, and let them use their minds?
Who neglected to take an extra step, to show his aim was kind?

Who forgot the reverse psychology of taboo labels on the mind?
Who tried to keep a flock fenced in, giving notions of being behind?

The answer is THE GOVERNMENT, who despite its many tries,
Did not attempt to understand, and did not realize,

The effect of propaganda upon the childish soul,
And in its leaky, little boat, forgot to patch a hole.

Nov. 2005

7 comments:

Anonymous said...

Hi Mona,

I hope you are doing well.

I REALLY APPRECIATE YOU!!!

THAT WAS A VERY WELL WRITTEN POEM!!

I would like to ask you to give some information about how you wrote it (who to find the ideas, the best words, the time you put on it, etc.)

I have point to mention also:
I think that it would be better to explain a little bit more your "Answer" in your poem...

Could you explain it a little bit more...

Thanks a lot!

Keep up the good work...

Someone interested in your blog!

Mona said...

Hi Anonymous.
First of all, I would like to say that I really appreciate your enthusiasm and the fact that you took the time to read my work and to comment on it. However, I would also appreciate it if you did not comment anonymously, as there are so many people named Anonymous, and I like to be able to keep track of who is commenting, visiting for the first time, or revisiting. (If you insist on hiding your identity, I suggest you click on "other" when you post a comment and think up some creative name that you will use each time.)

But to get to your questions...
How I wrote it? This was an assignment for a media class, the purpose of which was to write a creative piece on the topic of censorship. I decided to write this poem about the effects of the attempts at censorship by the Iranian government. Obviously, the plan has backfired and instead of protecting the youth of Iran, the result has been increased discontent and misbehavior. (i.e. they are maybe "more American than the Americans") There are similar trends in other more conservative countries, such as Japan. (If you haven't seen pictures of the "modern" girls there, I don't suggest you try to... you may faint or suffer severe shock. lol)

Since I wrote it months ago and it is now quite out of my memory, I can't go on in detail about how I came up with the poem. I probably spent a couple of hours or so initially, and I think I later revised it. When I write poetry, it generally comes on its own... it just flows, so I can't say much about choosing the "best words". I write whatever I feel. Here, I used a lot of religious allusions and fable-like references, which it is part of my style to do. I may sometimes use the thesaurus in Word to find the word that is "just right".

About the answer, I can't really explain it in detail because, honestly, I don't know a lot about it myself. Having lived in Canada for nearly all my life, I have very little information about my native country. Much of what I do know is from hearsay, etc. I am confident in my answer, though, and maybe I should later write an essay to describe it.

Thank you for visiting,
It is very encouraging to see comments...they keep the blog running. I was not posting for a long time and maybe because of you I will soon make some new posts.

Mona.

Anonymous said...

Hi Mona.

First of all, I would like to thank you for replying so fast and taking the time to answer me in detail.

Also, thank you for your suggestion of creating a name for myself. I chose "Flower"! In fact, I don't intoduce myself because I think that what could be important are (maybe) my ideas and not my name...

Just to let you know, I visited your blog maybe about 10 times to read different things and I am the one who sent the 3rd comment on your interesting text intiteled "Journal Entry".


About the situation of youth in Iran, I agree with you that the censorship by the Iranian government played some role... but I think that this problem has so many faces (historical, cultural, economic, etc.). So, I find that if we want to analyse this problem (in your peom, give the "Answer"), we should be aware of the level of importance of each of these aspects...

"I probably spent a couple of hours or so initially, and I think I later revised it. "

Congratulation!!
You wrote this beautiful poem in a so short time!!! WOW!! :-)

"Having lived in Canada for nearly all my life, I have very little information about my native country."

I really appreciate you for the fact that even if you were always far from your native country, you are worring about it and you like it.

"...and maybe I should later write an essay to describe it."

I really encourage you to do so. I think that the fact of knowing better our native countries leads us to have a better idea of our odentities...

Good luck!

Flower.

Mona said...

Dear Flower,
Wow. Thank you for your consistence and loyalty!
Also, thanks for the compliments and the suggestions. I will try my best to follow up, (if I can find the time between studying!)
Best regards,

Mona

Anonymous said...

Dear Mona,

Hi. By reading it many times in your comments, I knew that your studies are very important for you. I am so happy for that!! :-)

I hope you will have always the best marks... and more than that... a deep underestanding of the materials...

But, just a question: Why you don't include some scientific section in your blog? (articles, links to good sites, interesting informations like "Did you know...?", etc.)

I imagine that you are a scientific person... Am I wrong?!!

Best wishes,

Flower

Mona said...

Dear Flower,

Actually, that is a pretty good idea. However, I do not know how to create a separate "section", and I think this would be necessary, because the articles should be related to each other in some way, and even now they are not so much...

Anyways, from your comments, it seems that I must know you personally, since you seem to be caring, and understand my viewpoints well... Am I wrong? I am so curious!

Thanks again,
Mona

Anonymous said...

Dear Mona,

Hi. About creating a new separate "section", I don't know how to do it neither! If I get any information about that, I'll let you know.

"Anyways, from your comments, it seems that I must know you personally, since you seem to be caring, and understand my viewpoints well... Am I wrong? I am so curious!"

lol :-)

I understand very well your curiosity... But, let me not giving your answer.

Again, I think that what is important is not if you know me personally/I am arab, Chineese, Indian, Iranian.../ I live in Montreal or not/ etc., but maybe the ideas that I express in your blog.

Sorry for not giving you some information about myself... but I think that in that way you could be focused on what I say rather than influenced by my personality...

I hope I am not too bizzare!!

Good Luck!


Flower