Brecht You Would Understand
Brecht you would understand
Why I cannot forgive your country
It is only a little longer
Until the living memories will pass
When the unforgiven will forget
What they were presumed to have done
Their place will be another place
The old grey faces will be gone
And those who watch will scratch and doubt
And you mother
Who did not preach the cause
You would not have minded
Minded very much
That I not forgive my country
Knowing what has been said
Children whose flame is clean and bright
I tell you what you will not like
I would bear witness to all this
But I am witness only to myself
I have not suffered I confess
Have worn the emblems of well-being
In the safety of ordinary threats
My life like a long flirtation
Full of benign diversion
For me especially no forgiveness
The kitchen walls are white
The white floor gleams like a dinner plate
White guilt upon white walls
And on the stove
The pot is black
The kettle black
See what we are
7/6-7/8/95
Copyright 1995 by Maurice Leiter
Posted with permission.
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