I read this week’s Read Write Poem prompt in which I read about the PEN Poem Relay for Shi_Tao, a journalist imprisoned by the Chinese government. After that, I read this news article about Bush criticizing China’s human rights issues. These inspired to write this poem, although it is really not for the prompt. I will be writing something specific for it later.

-Nicole

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“I love America more than any other country in this world, and, exactly for this reason, I insist on the right to criticize her perpetually.”
-James Baldwin

Georgie boy,
what do your words mean?
Georgie boy,
your scream is not a scream.

It is a hypocritical whimper
that simmers
in the ears of those who know you best;
from the West
China is supposed to heed your voice
when your own choice
was to proselytize
with mammoth lies
piled on top, jammed
in side by side, crammed
into the ears of your own people?
We want to erect a different steeple.*

I have a question, if you please:
where the fuck were those WMDs?

You lied
while inside
your protective governmental womb,
but we still hear the baby, entombed
from the outside, kicking and screaming;

so while you’re still scheming
we will beacon,
light, love, and liberty
for all eternity
across this planet’s revolving endless skies
to replace the lies
of bigotry, oppression, and hatred
that have been erected
and the foolish have projected
in the name of security and protection.

We embrace sedition
to free the captives
and the natives
of this land.

We understand
who you really are –
by far
the biggest hypocrite
and purveyor of bullshit
on this planet’s face –
but at least have the grace
to leave your mouth
from the South
off of other oppressors
until our own act is together.

Leave the screaming
and the dreaming
to folks who stand true
to the Red, White, and Blue
and I don’t mean scoundrels
who abound
half-stepping inside the sound
of redneck patriotism
creating a schism
lined with “my God’s dick is bigger than yours”
and leaving raw-wound sores
in the asses of their neighbors.
I mean those willing
who aren’t illing
about bearing trouble on their backs
and trumpeting truth and facts
to save America from herself.

China, we must apologize;
though we realize
that we find your acts abhorrent
and unwarranted
against your flesh and blood
(we cannot excuse the blood
spilled in droplet billions
in Tiananmen graveyards),
we are in embarrassment
by the harassment
of a President
that if resident
any longer
might grow stronger
by hubris and upon us
inflict the same
and drive us insane.

Written 8/6/08
© 2008 Nicole Nicholson. All Rights Reserved.

Stumble It!

*a slightly modified line from “Celebration of the Lizard” by The Doors