colonialists

Colonialists 

They came to see conquered 
plundered other nations' heritage
voices of dissent hung in the breeze 
The elite thought of themselves
as educated
Wrote learned books about stolen 
statues, marble, and so on
the significance of great art
The pilferers became ennobled 
sometimes, for some, theft pays 
Most of the stolen culture ended
up in museums 
so people could feel in awe of how
foresighted the robbers had been
Now that we live in an enlightened time
The British Museum is no longer
proud of its possessions 
return African art of wooden masks
those which come  alive at night