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From: shers@oz.Berkeley.EDU (Alex Sherstinsky)
Newsgroups: net.poems
Subject: No Choice
Message-ID: <14465@ucbvax.BERKELEY.EDU>
Date: Sat, 21-Jun-86 00:13:48 EDT
Article-I.D.: ucbvax.14465
Posted: Sat Jun 21 00:13:48 1986
Date-Received: Sun, 22-Jun-86 03:38:13 EDT
Sender: usenet@ucbvax.BERKELEY.EDU
Reply-To: shers@oz.Berkeley.EDU (Alex Sherstinsky)
Organization: University of California, Berkeley
Lines: 68




                                                 Alex Sherstinsky
                                                    June 20, 1986



                            NO CHOICE


        After firing last shots to the ground,
        Blood-red sun shies behind, rolling down,
        As the green, blue, and red colored lights,
        Mixed in noises, vanish away,
        Letting dusk creep and swallow the day
        In prologue to the cloak of the night.

        And the demons emerge from the dark,
        Mad and furious, ready to strike.
        Evil spirits, unleashed, flying free.
        I am held, I feel stiffened and stunned,
        I can't move, but my heart tries to run,
        Then they pour their judgement on me:

        "What corrupted you, what made you crave
        For the lines that are stupid but safe?
        Why allow your soul to be killed?
        How long do you think you will bother
        Kissing one woman, loving the other,
        Ripped apart by the conscience and guilt?"

        "You'll be forced now to make up your choice",
        I kept hearing an ominous voice,
        "You will see what hypocrisy brings,
        And decisions you'll make will reveal
        Every layer your mind has concealed
        From reality's sharp guillotine!"

        "Up to you, so you'd better decide
        Which your loved ones are going to die.
        Weigh their worth to you, then take a pick:
        Should your lover be killed or your mom?
        Whom to torture -- your dad or your son?
        Or yourself?  What's your choice?  Be quick."

        "Stop this trial", I yelled, "I'm no traitor,
        In my roots, I am strong, you won't break me,
        Rather'd take martyr death than give in.
        Let me live, and I'll promise to start
        Saying what I believe in my heart,
        Standing firm for the causes I mean."

        *************

        Free, can move, and the demons are gone
        (They went straight back to hell they belong),
        Find myself in a far away land,
        All relaxed, feeling calm and secure,
        With a lady so fair and pure
        By my side, holding on to my hand.

        Let the practical business like types
        Feel impasse of their meaningless lives,
        Spent in gasping for status and love,
        Ending up in the comfort of booze.
        I'm just happy I don't get to choose
        But tune in to the guy from above.