[Newspoetry] protest song in 'plena' style

[charles joseph smith]

Let me tell you that in Puerto Rico in the early nineteenth century (and
going on still today) had special protest songs called "plenas". They were
used by factory workers, seamstresses, and other people of the lower
classes (employed or unemployed) as a way to let out their anger,
struggle, and hopes for a better way of living. It was often used during
strikes, demonstations, and sit-ins. How do I know this? My friend from
Puerto Rico, Milton D. Carrero, who plays classical guitar and is famous
as a singer-songwriter in Urbana-Champaign, told me so.

Plena music is almost similar to Dominican merengue music. Basically,
a lot of Latin drums are used, and the bass conga drum is beaten on the
1 and 2 beats to keep the rhythm. Call-and-response is used often between
the chorus and the lead singer (like in some of the African songs and
gospel music, as well as salsa and merengue music). Plena band members
usually wear all-white to reflect the heat on a hot Puerto Rican day.

I went to France after coming out of Sicily and watched French TV about
the G-8 summit and the violence and arrests that followed it. Not until
I found out that one of the protestors was killed by police that I was
inspired to write a plena (in English!) about a manifestant who died
perhaps of
police brutality in the summit. A very short plena, that is.

              Title: Plena for Genoa
              Words: Charles Smith

Chorus:

The region of Genoa suffered an acrid fate
For a demonstrator died in the G-8,
The summit that almost reminiscenced the FTAA,
And it is so sad that one had yielded to death that day!

Repeat chorus

Lead singer (Verse 1):

The country of Italy must be on its knees,
For violence in Genoa broke out like a disease;
Just like what had happened recently in Quebec City
The socialists here and there created an emmity...

Chorus:

The region of Genoa suffered an acrid fate
For a demonstrator died in the G-8,
The summit that almost reminiscened the FTAA,
And it is so sad that one had yielded to death that day!

Lead singer (Verse 2)

Italian police had raided the protestors' den
Snatching computers like wallets, and then arresting men;
The wall that kept protestors out might be the blame
For all of that tumult; oh, it has so much shame!

Chorus:

The region of Genoa suffered an acrid fate
For a demonstrator died in the G-8--
The summit that almost reminiscenced the FTAA,
And it is so sad that one had yielded to death that day!

Lead singer (Verse 3)

Protestors had came in groves for they were losing jobs
By globalization which turned some into livid mobs;
They tried to breach the big wall that kept them out,
And then they were beaten back; that was their great big shout!

Chorus:
The region of Genoa suffered an acrid fate
For a demonstrator died in the G-8--
The summit that almost reminiscenced the FTAA,
And it is so sad that one had yielded to death that day!

Repeat chorus

                    --End of song

I'll put in the music later.

Note: My email at home, jas1038 at earthlink.net, is down. It should be
repaired by late Saturday. Until then use the old email address.
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