[Peace-discuss] Fw: [socialistdiscussion] Merry Xmas from Langston Hughes

[John W.]

I've never seen this particular poem before.  Very interesting.  Thanks for
sharing, Dave.

John W.



On Sun, Dec 27, 2009 at 12:43 PM, unionyes <unionyes at ameritech.net> wrote:



> ----- Original Message ----- From: "John Reimann" <1999wildcat at gmail.com>
> To: "socialist discussion" <socialistdiscussion at yahoogroups.com>
> Sent: Saturday, December 26, 2009 8:45 AM
> Subject: [socialistdiscussion] Merry Xmas from Langston Hughes
>
>
> I just came across this Christmas poem from the US's greatest poet (in
> my opinion), Langston Hughes. It's a day late, but still worth
> printing:
>
> Merry Christmas, by Langston Hughes
> Published In New Masses (Dec. 1930)
>
> Merry Christmas, China
>
>> From the gun-boats in the river,
>>
> Ten-inch shells for Christmas gifts,
> And peace on earth forever.
>
> Merry Christmas, India,
> To Gandhi in his cell,
>
>> From righteous Christian England,
>>
> Ring out, bright Christmas bell!
>
> Ring Merry Christmas, Africa,
>
>> From Cairo to the Cape!
>>
> Ring Hallehuiah! Praise the Lord!
> (For murder and rape.)
>
> Ring Merry Christmas, Haiti!
> (And drown the voodoo drums –
> We’ll rob you to the Christian hymns
> Until the next Christ comes.)
>
> Ring Merry Christmas, Cuba!
> (While Yankee domination
> Keeps a nice fat president
> In a little half-starved nation.)
>
> And to you down-and-outers,
> (“Due to economic laws”)
> Oh, eat, drink, and be merry
> With a bread-line Santa Claus –
>
> While all the world hails Christmas,
> While all the church bells sway!
> While, better still, the Christian guns
> Proclaim this joyous day!
>
> While holy steel that makes us strong
> Spits forth a mighty Yuletide song:
> SHOOT Merry Christmas everywhere!
> Let Merry Christmas GAS the air!
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