[Newspoetry] a sonnet...

[DAN PLECK]

My name is Daniel Pleck of University Laboratory High School, Urbana 
Illinois. 
thank you, and here is my sonnet, guvnah!

Zion* is Dying

They cry while wars are fought and murders planned
By stubborn men who send their sons to death.
While wars, disease, and tears still scorch their land
Their cries have been drowned out by shibboleth.
While AIDS and hunger plague the land they toil.
Their cries are muffled by the tanks retreating.
Their leaders quarrel over land and oil
While millions suffer from their AIDS untreated.
We can't ignore their cries to our chagrin.
Though tongue and tribe may differ we all sing
To the Great Tree. We are all Africans.
Their sufferings should be our sufferings.
At last, lets bind our wounds and live in peace.
Lets fight our real enemies: Hunger and Disease.

* Zion is a term for Ethiopia that was and still is in use today by 
Rastafarians who believe Ethiopia to be the holy land.  In actuality, 
Ethiopia is one of the top five poorest countries in the world. It has 
been engaged in wars with Eritrea, and has recently attacked Somalia 
instead of addressing its critical issues: Poverty, Hunger, and the AIDS 
epidemic that has taken more than 30 million lives in Africa.  

 


-- 

emancipate yourselves from mental slavery
none but ourselves can free our minds
bob marley