Pages

Thursday, June 1, 2017

A Poem of Fact

Friends of Falun Gong Poetry Contest:

WINNER—A Poem of Fact

by Josh Lefkowitz
You think such things could never happen here,
Where (for the most part) people get along,
But tilt your head far Eastward – lend your ear
To China’s persecuted Falun Gong.
A peaceful practice of the mind and body,
Whose members grew 100 million wide.
This did not please the Chinese Commie Party,
And so they snuffed out all these folks (or tried).
Torture. Prison. Labor camps for months.
Organ harvesting (that’s true, I checked).
How crazy, you might think. But think too: once
Power corrupts – well, what do you expect?
So can one poem of fact help turn the tide?
Doubtful, thought the poet, as he tried.