That Country

Grace Paley (Image Credit: Bitch Media)

This is about the women of that country

Sometimes they spoke in slogans

They said

       We patch the roads as we patch our sweetheart’s trousers   

       The heart will stop but not the transport

They said

       We have ensured production even near bomb craters   

       Children let your voices sing higher than the explosions

                                                    of the bombs

They said

       We have important tasks to teach the children

       that the people are the collective masters

       to bear hardship

       to instill love in the family

       to guide the good health of the children (they must

       wear clothing according to climate)

They said

       Once men beat their wives

       now they may not

       Once a poor family sold its daughter to a rich old man   

       now the young may love one another

They said

       Once we planted our rice any old way

       now we plant the young shoots in straight rows

       so the imperialist pilot can see how steady our

       hands are

In the evening we walked along the shores of the Lake   

                                                of the Restored Sword

I said   is it true?   we are sisters?   

They said   Yes, we are of one family

~ Grace Paley