PostPoems Be Artistic. Be Creative. Be Inspired!

I was talking to someone recently about the discouraging lack of good protest songs in contemporary, mainstream music, so it was a pleasure to find a hard-driving, pulse-pounding, unapologetic rant with a social conscious.

Before I get into the merits of the lyrics (and it's important for readers to keep in mind that this is a song, meant to be heard and not read) I want to assure you that there is absolutely no judgement of this poem on my part because of your choice to keep it real and stay true to your audience. It's written, boldly, ferociously and candidly, in the vernacular of rock fans, and this is appropriate to your very crucial message.

The great writer, Mark Twain, wrote:

"Under certain circumstances, profanity provides a relief denied even to prayer."

Of course, if profanity is overused or used gratuitously or carelessly tossed in for shock value it can make writing feel cheap, lazy or trite, but that's not what you did here at all. Every word pulls its weight and earns its keep in this brave advocacy for human rights.

To me, helping people is the greatest reward of any form of art, and the wow factor is secondary.

But that is not to say this is not art! It absolutely is. To me. Others may say it's not, but then I would ask, what is poetry? Anyone who claims to have an answer to that, especially this long after the modernist movement, has a very narrow and predisposed view of this highly subjective art form.

Now the merits of your high-voltage, urgent song for humanity:

You give a voice to so many people who are crushed by the weight of a domineering and sanctimonious society. Your indignation, righteous and earth-shattering, rails against some of the most crucial issues that face society.

What is more important than human rights? Even if some soulless person has no concern for LGBTQ+ rights or women's rights or civil rights, they should consider this: if a society is tyrannical enough to deny one segment its freedom, it has the capacity to eventually strip away the rights of anyone for any reason.

Forgive me, I feel the need to pull out this famous quote:

"First they came for the socialists, and I did not speak out—because I was not a socialist.

Then they came for the trade unionists, and I did not speak out—because I was not a trade unionist.

Then they came for the Jews, and I did not speak out—because I was not a Jew.

Then they came for me—and there was no one left to speak for me."

—Martin Niemöller

This is what your wonderful song is all about. Speaking out, so that you can never say you were a silent accessory to injustice.

The fact that I wrote an essay should tell you how important and worthy your song is.

Keep singing, loud and proud.