General,
Your Tank Is a Powerful Vehicle

General, your tank is a powerful vehicle.

It smashes down forest and crushes a hundred men.

But it has one defect:

It needs a driver.

General, your bomber is powerful.

It flies faster than a storm and carries more than an

elephant.

But it has one defect:

It needs a mechanic.

General, man is very useful.

He can fly and he can kill.

But he has one defect:

He can think.

[A poem by Bertolt Brecht]

 

Why?

 

Why do the babies starve

When there’s enough food to feed the world

When there’re so many of us

Are there people still alone

Why are the missiles called peace keepers

When they’re aimed to kill

Why is a woman still not safe

When she’s in her home

Love is hate

War is peace

No is yes

And we’re all free

But somebody’s gonna have to answer

The time is coming soon

Amidst all these questions and contradictions

There’re some who seek the truth

But somebody’s gonna have to answer

The time is coming soon

When the blind remove their blinders

And the speechless speak the truth

[A Tracy Chapman song from a 1986 album]