Mic Check: Now We Are The People!
By Gari Corseri
15 November, 2011
Countercurrents.org
(“Mic Check” is one of the many wholesome developments of the Occupy Movement. A single speaker's words are echoed by a spontaneous “chorus” of listeners. The benefits are twofold: the original words are repeated, magnified and enhanced by the additional listeners-speakers; and the words are imprinted on the minds and hearts of those who speak and hear.)
When in the course of human events
WHEN IN THE COURSE OF HUMAN EVENTS
It becomes necessary for one people
IT BECOMES NECESSARY FOR ONE PEOPLE
To dissolve the political bands...
TO DISSOLVE THE POLITICAL BANDS...
To make their own music,
TO MAKE THEIR OWN MUSIC,
And to dance in the streets with joy--
AND TO DANCE IN THE STREETS WITH JOY--
Let us be those people!
LET US BE THOSE PEOPLE!
When one people
WHEN ONE PEOPLE
Shall demand redress of grievances
SHALL DEMAND REDRESS OF GRIEVANCES
Let us be those people!
LET US BE THOSE PEOPLE!
Let our hearts be full of courage and compassion!
LET OUR HEARTS BE FULL OF COURAGE AND COMPASSION!
Let our minds be full of clarity and light!
LET OUR MINDS BE FULL OF CLARITY AND LIGHT!
Learning, ever learning;
LEARNING, EVER LEARNING;
Striving, ever striving--
STRIVING, EVER STRIVING--
Forging a new tomorrow!
FORGING A NEW TOMORROW!
We hold these truths to be self-evident:
WE HOLD THESE TRUTHS TO BE SELF-EVIDENT:
That all men and women are created unequal.
THAT ALL MEN AND WOMEN ARE CREATED UNEQUAL!
Tall and short, smart and less-so;
TALL AND SHORT, SMART AND LESS-SO;
Black and white, red, brown and yellow--
BLACK AND WHITE, RED, BROWN AND YELLOW--
All have something to contribute!
ALL HAVE SOMETHING TO CONTRIBUTE!
Some are thrifty and some are spendthrift.
SOME ARE THRIFTY AND SOME ARE SPENDTHRIFT.
Some lean Left and some lean Right.
SOME LEAN LEFT AND SOME LEAN RIGHT.
Nevertheless…
NEVERTHELESS…
No one has the right to hurt another.
NO ONE HAS THE RIGHT TO HURT ANOTHER.
No one has the right to cheat or lie or steal,
NO ONE HAS THE RIGHT TO CHEAT OR LIE OR STEAL,
Or exploit the labor of another!
OR EXPLOIT THE LABOR OF ANOTHER!
While we are not equal…
WHILE WE ARE NOT EQUAL…
No one is inferior!
NO ONE IS INFERIOR!
All can be taught, and everyone can learn!
ALL CAN BE TAUGHT, AND EVERYONE CAN LEARN!
The divine light in all can be honored.
THE DIVINE LIGHT IN ALL CAN BE HONORED.
We have to learn from each other.
WE HAVE TO LEARN FROM EACH OTHER.
We're in the same lifeboat together!
WE'RE IN THE SAME LIFEBOAT TOGETHER!
From all, according to their abilities;
FROM ALL, ACCORDING TO THEIR ABILITIES;
To all, according to their needs!
TO ALL, ACCORDING TO THEIR NEEDS!
Marx said that.
MARX SAID THAT.
Not Groucho, but Karl.
NOT GROUCHO, BUT KARL.
The problem is…
THE PROBLEM IS…
Who will determine the need?
WHO WILL DETERMINE THE NEED?
That has always been a problem. …
THAT HAS ALWAYS BEEN A PROBLEM. …
Where to draw the line. …
WHERE TO DRAW THE LINE. …
Who will judge the judges?
WHO WILL JUDGE THE JUDGES?
Even the Romans said so!
EVEN THE ROMANS SAID SO!
This is where…
THIS IS WHERE…
Humility comes in. …
HUMILITY COMES IN. …
This is where…
THIS IS WHERE…
Reverence for life
REVERENCE FOR LIFE
And Truth
AND TRUTH
Comes in. …
COMES IN. …
This is where
THIS IS WHERE
We reach for our highest selves!
WE REACH FOR OUR HIGHEST SELVES!
Because the stakes are monumental!
BECAUSE THE STAKES ARE MONUMENTAL!
We are star-beings in the making
WE ARE STAR-BEINGS IN THE MAKING
Of a glorious universe--
OF A GLORIOUS UNIVERSE--
Unfolding, ever evolving…
UNFOLDING, EVER EVOLVING…
A hymnal of Creation--
A HYMNAL OF CREATION--
Forging the world to come
FORGING THE WORLD TO COME.
“Every atom belonging to me,
EVERY ATOM BELONGING TO ME,
"As good belongs to you.
AS GOOD BELONGS TO YOU.”
Whitman said that.
WHITMAN SAID THAT.
And he was right.
AND HE WAS RIGHT.
We are parnters in creation.
WE ARE PARNTERS IN CREATION
With Creation itself
WITH CREATION ITSELF.
We just said that.
WE JUST SAID THAT.
And we say loud and clear:
AND WE SAY LOUD AND CLEAR:
We demand the right
WE DEMAND THE RIGHT
To occupy our lives;
TO OCCUPY OUR LIVES;
To care for our planet-mother;
TO CARE FOR OUR PLANET-MOTHER;
And to care for one another
AND TO CARE FOR ONE ANOTHER.
To nurture the best that is in us,
TO NURTURE THE BEST THAT IS IN US,
And the best that is yet to be
AND THE BEST THAT IS YET TO BE.
We want no Lords and Ladies
WE WANT NO LORDS AND LADIES
Telling us how to live!
TELLING US HOW TO LIVE!
Striving, ever striving,
STRIVING, EVER STRIVING,
To reach for the stars with compassion,
TO REACH FOR THE STARS WITH COMPASSION,
With a song of liberty;
WITH A SONG OF LIBERTY;
Growing in knowledge and wisdom,
GROWING IN KNOWLEDGE AND WISDOM,
With hearts that are brave and free
WITH HEARTS THAT ARE BRAVE AND FREE.
Let us be those people!
LET US BE THOSE PEOPLE!
Let us be such people!
LET US BE SUCH PEOPLE!
We are becoming such people!
WE ARE BECOMING SUCH PEOPLE!
Now we are the people!
NOW WE ARE THE PEOPLE!
We, the People!
WE, THE PEOPLE!
We, the People!
WE, THE PEOPLE!
We, the People!
WE, THE PEOPLE!
Gary Corseri has published and posted prose, poems and dramas at Countercurrents and hundreds of other sites and periodicals worldwide. A professor and editor, he has published novels and poetry collections, performed at the Carter Presidential Library, and had his dramas produced on Atlanta-PBS and elsewhere. He can be contacted at [email protected] or [email protected] .
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