Oh bourgeosie secure in your jobs and homes
Haven't any idea what it takes to survive
For every day worker bees servicing the hive.
Beware as you slumber, the wild wolf roams.
I prowl the streets with revolver and knife
To use against those who'd restrain me.
I am the prodigy of anarchists who trained me.
As a martyr I willingly give up my life.
Only yesterday at the Terminus Hotel
I broke bread amongst you, another well-heeled guest;
The type of narrow minded cretin I detest.
Little did you know you'd be blown straight to hell.
I had everything to gain and nothring to lose.
Perhaps my actions will cause you to pause and think.
Chemicals and buckshot placed in a tube of zinc,
With an after dinner cigar I lit the fuse.
Three of your kind were killed by the terrific blast.
As this anarchist is marched to the guillotine
For striking a blow against oppressors unclean,
I regret only not killing more of your caste.
Author notes
On February 12, 1894, a French anarchist named Emile Henry tossed a bomb into the restaurant of the Terminus Hotel. This is considered one of the first terrorist acts that was directed against innocent people. Previous terrorist events directly attacked those seen as direct oppressors. Emile Henry was sent to the guillotine on May 21, 1894.
This poem is intended to illustrate the arrogance of terrorists. It is not an endorsement of their actions.
Image is the cover of Le Petit Journal, a leading Parisian anarchist newspaper. Source: http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_1CuTnfxKFSI/SNIai1txCjI/AAAAAAAABa8/huuHNyBZvBA/s400/PetitJournalDynamiteBonsEnfantsGrd.jpg
In a list
A contest entry
- Fabulous Title Prompts Brought to You by YOU by Paloszoo.
1200 points, ended June 2, 52 entries
• next poem in this contest, remove from contest
Comments
1 - 19 of 19
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Anarchists know that a long period of education must precede any great fundamental change in society, hence they do not believe in vote begging, nor political campaigns, but rather in the development of self-thinking individuals.
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That may be your philosphy and perhaps a noble one. I respect your right to that philosophy. However, even a cursory study of anarchist movements in France, Italy, and Russia would show that anarchist groups have sought to bring about immediate change through violent revolution.
Mike
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Wonderful
Very creative and so well expressed. Best of luck in the contest.
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Thank you very much for reading and commenting on my poem. I am glad that you enjoyed it.
Mike
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Superb Plus +
Ah, 'tis a very fine write, indeed. As usual you have expressed your thoughts quite well. Thanks for sharing this one with us. -
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Thank you very much. I am glad you enjoyed this one.
Mike -
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You are quite welcome.
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Excellent piece. Very educational, as well. I had no idea about this event, which you put so well in a poem format! Thanks for writing for me and for entering my contest. I’m honored to have you show your work here!
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Thank you very much for reading and commenting. I am glad you liked the poem. It is always a pleasure to participate in your contests.
Mike
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very very powerful!
you pullllled us into every morbid line
captivated.....
we in America too are seeing more violence
on our news....
cleverly disguised....normal people
who have no backgrounds for violence!
thankyou for sharing this powerful poem
with us!
ears/Seattle
way to write!
way to write!
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Thank you very much for reading and commenting on my work. Terrorism is not new. There is just a new way of doing it with different players commiting the crimes to the tune of their own distorted beliefs.
Thanks for reading and commenting.
Mike
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The title fits this poem to a "T" I was unaware of this part of history. So not only did I enjoy your literally work but I appreciate the this brief glimpse intro a moment of days past. Thank you for sharing.
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Thank you very much for reading and commenting on my poem. I am glad that you enjoyed it. I read history on a reglular basis. Sometimes, as with this case it becomes the inspiration for a poem.
Mike
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An apt title " Ideal Chaos" NB typo nothring/nothing. The poem exposes the cavalier mindset of the terrorist who mindlessly, ruthlessly, barbarically, bombs the innocent for their own agenda. " I regret only not killing more of your caste" is a chilling insight into the psychotic psychology of Henry and his ilk. Sadly even to this day there are those that applaud and bay for more acts of terrorism, I have had the displeasure of reading so called "freedom fighters" in cyberspace who seek to see more innocent human bodies blown to smithereens simply because they themselves have a hatred for a certain nationality. Those that salute terrorists and terrorism are as resonsible as those that scythe lives for they place murderers on a pedestal. The late great Martin Luther King effected peaceful and postive change without resorting to violence, let us hope and pray that all men see his shoes fit to walk in for it's surely the only way the world will ever find peace, when all men do not dismiss other men's lives as collateral damage. Whatever beliefs we have and hold dear in life, all human beings are equal at birth and in death, why should not that also hold true throughout life?
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I am glad you liked the poem. I find it interesting that anarchists who supposedly celebrate the right to freedom of life are so ready to take it from others. Similarly those who are adherents to 'peaceful' religions, but slay others to promote their agenda. It seems to me it it actually a cognative distortion to justify their behavior.
Thanks for catching the typo. I need to go back to typing my poems in Word, then pasting them into the site. Your comment is much appreciated.
Mike
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VERY VERY POWERFUL !!
This was such an awesome and eye opening piece Mike, you have done a fantastic job here
I wish you the very best In the contest
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I am glad you enjoyed this poem. It has been a while since I have written a historical piece. Assassinations by anarchists made a significant impact on the world in the late 19th and early 20th century. These included the assassination of Tsar Alexander of Russia, who freed the serfs and President McKinley of the United States.
Mike
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Awesome!!
I really enjoyed this piece and it makes me think of an incident here in New Zealand that occured just last week, a man for no apparent reason opened fire on the police and public, there was a 3 day stand off before the gunman opened fire upon himself with no-one ever finding out why.
This is a well written piece, and i am glad that i clicked to read.
Thank you
L.A
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Thank you very much for taking the time to read and comment on my poem. Anarchists are idealists who essentially believe that ALL laws are oppressive. They broke with 19th Century Socialists because socialists were willing to make deals with the government.
Mike
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