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| XXXLutz Pokerkarten |
"In a functioning theocracy it is almost inevitable that the symbol of religion becomes confused with the symbol of state . . . " - Roger Waters (Pink Floyd)
There's a lot of fuss from some sections regarding the latest Pink Floyd protest balloon because of the star of Israel thereon. Other less controversial symbols on the balloon include the crucifix, the crescent, the hammer and sickle, the Shell logo, a dollar sign, and a Mercedes sign. Pink Floyd have been launching pig balloons for years; there were some with references to Bush and the Iraq war for example. In the spirit of free speech and "we don't need no thought control" here's The Big Red Chair.
The Big Red Chair
In a semi-theocratic
petrodollar place
of old thrones
and high chairs
the big red chair
is a modern high chair
and a symbol
Der mit dem roten Stuhl
is an XXXLutz Joker
an outlet symbol
and stands
like a jest
neatly framed on long legs
by an Asfinag Autobahn
somewhere between
McDonald's and Shell
You can readily spot it
from the Mercedes
after you blithely drive by
whether your rearview
mascot be
mascot be
teddybear
star
cross
or
crescent
But of course
we must judge
what we see for ourselves
in our mirrors
The Lutz Pokerkarten
for now disarranged
have nothing to say and soon
they'll be back
in their drawer
with the rest of the games
I do not really understand this Gwilym but by now I know enough about you to know that what you are saying here is cutting edge and to the point. You always hit the nail fairly and squarely on the head when you make a point.
ReplyDeleteThe poker cards, the free gift from the modern furniture outlet, and the high red chair in the poem and other symbols such as the $ sign and the various religious symbols are all degraded symbols illustrating the way the various peoples' of the world's futures are in ever present danger of being gambled away, and the poem goes on to show that in the end it is all an ongoing game controlled by politicians and lobbyists on behalf of the greater military industrial complex. The teddy bear in the rear view mirror is the lost childhood of the next row of bricks in the wall. Thanks for the comment and the vote of confidence Pat.
ReplyDeleteLike that. And I did my research! XXXLutz is a furniture company (logo - red chair) and Asfinag a company managing autobahns.
ReplyDeleteThanks Dominic. The "poem goes on to show" - well it doesn't even do that really, as I had said to Pat - so it really only implies that stuff - but what it does say out loud and clear that we should all take a look in the mirror if only to see where we are, and then we can get to thinking how to get from here to where we want to be. British parliament, did ok in this respect this time round. Maybe Obama gets the message. His own country, by the way, is on the US list of 18 countries believed with chemical weapons, as are Israel, Egypt and Pakistan.
ReplyDeleteI used to teach part time for free in a school which had religious symbols on the classroom walls by the doors and you couldn't fail to see them as you entered. Didn't like their intrusive presence I have to say.
ReplyDelete