LOTUS

 
Sabbe satta bhavantu sukhitatta  
Sabbe satta bhavantu sukhitatta  
Sabbe satta bhavantu sukhitatta  
[Hands held in Anjali (As if in prayer) while reciting this. Means, “May all beings be happy”]  
 
The General is annoyed that his breakfast has been rushed  
He has important work to do, the protests must be crushed  
 
Before the statue in the temple, he bows his body old and bent,  
Amongst the floral offerings, but not awakened by their scent  
 
“May All Beings Be Happy”, he chants the Buddha’s words each day,  
Yet never stops to think, “Is killing Monks the Buddha’s way?”  
 
A lotus that can never flower, and not the only one,  
Is stuck amongst the weeds to blacken in the sun  
 
No longer the scent of incense, just the stink of decay  
That blows through the streets, to welcome the day  
 
No one left to protest, no students left to cheer  
Just hordes of angry soldiers who give out pain and fear  
 
No broken Monks are left to fill our T.V. screens  
No more cries of protest, just empty silent screams  
 
The General’s busy on the phone, Business deals to do  
The wide world is his Market, especially India, and China too  
 
No one left to protest, for no one in Burma is free  
No one left to protest, except for you and me  


[Lotus was picked by Harbinger Asylum for their Fall 2017 Issue. Many thanks to them.]