Substantiate, Re-Iterate, Effectuate
Ken Eshpeter, June 2004
I sat down to contemplate
Just how I might articulate
A growing need to enunciate
My concern for our community.
Our system tries to obliterate
Our original sense to co-operate
We no longer seem to appreciate
Our instinct to live together.
The forces work to authenticate
Expanding trends to dissociate
There's an invisible sword to amputate
Us all from one another.
Consumption fails to satiate
Our internal urge to accumulate
Big business likes to manipulate
Our sense of needs and wants.
Religion prays to perpetuate
The myth that individuals communicate
Perhaps they should re-evaluate
Their relationship with God.
Government wants to abdicate
Its role to help adjudicate
I sense it would 'incorporate'
All things that one could need.
Let's hope we don't exonerate
Instead let's hope we educate
Or surely we'll exacerbate
Our chance to make things right.
_____________
Ken was one of our speakers in the ReLearning Community Series that I helped put on this winter in the Town of Viking. He is a local farmer - come community arts leader - come train conductor. He recently sent me an email putting forth these simple questions:
"I have a question for you. If someone robbed you on the street you would know immediately that you had been wronged and you would try to seek restitution. Why is it that in the rural area we allow, even encourage, big soulless box stores to come into a community knowing that there sole intent is to steal away retail businesses and therefore jobs and livelihoods from legitimate small business owners who contribute to the community in many ways. Why is this type of theft tolerated? Should we not be launching class action suits as a rural area affected to such an extent? When is theft, theft?"
"I have a question for you. If someone robbed you on the street you would know immediately that you had been wronged and you would try to seek restitution. Why is it that in the rural area we allow, even encourage, big soulless box stores to come into a community knowing that there sole intent is to steal away retail businesses and therefore jobs and livelihoods from legitimate small business owners who contribute to the community in many ways. Why is this type of theft tolerated? Should we not be launching class action suits as a rural area affected to such an extent? When is theft, theft?"
Wow, great poem and excellent questions from Ken. It really sums up some of the current challenges we face in our communities. Interesting that the poem was written 7 years ago...doesn't seem anything has changed!
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