Because the Dawn Breaks

We speak
because
when the rain falls
in the mountains
the river slowly swells

Comes rushing down
over boulders
across roads
crumbling bridges
that would hold their power
against its force

We speak
for the same reason
that
the thunder frightens the child
that
the lightning startles the tree

We do not speak
to defy your tenets
though we do
or upset your plans
even though we do
or to tumble
your towers of babel
we speak
in spite of the fact
that we do

We speak
because
your plan
is not
our plan
we speak because we dream
because
our dreams
are not of living in pig pens
in any other body’s
backyard
not of
catching crumbs from tables
not of crawling forever
along the everlasting ant-line
to veer away in quick detours
when the elephant’s foot
crashes down
not of having to turn back
when the smell of death
assails our senses
not of striving forever
to catch the image of your Gods
within our creation

We speak
for the same reason
that
the flowers bloom
that the sun sets
that the fruit ripens

because temples built
to honour myths
must crumble
as the dawn breaks

there is nothing you can do
about your feeble bridges
when the rain falls
in the mountains
and swells the flow of rivers

We speak
not to agitate you
but in spite of your agitation
because
we are workers
peasants
leaders
you see
and were not born
to be your vassals

©Merle Collins