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Colonialist Guilt
By Rattle_Spear
05 August 2007
England conquered many countries; and made many mistakes.

The colonialists came and conquered

They left behind their kin

They fled away with everything

That was their greatest sin

 

They raped and plundered

They murdered and enslaved

They took away the cattle

They only left beads and spoons

 

They never built the great cities

They never built large dams

They never discovered gold or diamonds

They never laid a foundation for democracy

 

The colonialist were strong and robust

The colonialists were the best of warriors

The colonialists never believed in mixed marriages

The colonialists never introduced apartheid

 

England fathered refugees

England was a safe haven for terrorists

England educated and clothed natives

England rid the slaves of their yokes

 

Now it the time for them to pay reparations

Now is the time to free their citizens from mugabe

Now is the time to stop handouts

Now is the time to get out of Africa!

3rdAUGUST 2007

 

 

Reviews

Written by Talisker (1331 comments posted) 5th August 2007
More of a political rant RS - than anything very "poetic" 
 
Doesn't really grab me, though some of the statements are worthy and true. 
 
Oli

Written by Phil (6959 comments posted) 5th August 2007
Generally with Oli on this one. Many colonialists were Scottish and Welsh - and in your part of the world, I suppose Dutch too. 
 
Phil.
Rants
Written by Rattle_Spear (93 comments posted) 5th August 2007
Oli/Phil 
Thanks for the interest. 
Glad to see you support your kin. 
History left its marks... 
R_S :grin

Written by Bottleblondesurfer (3562 comments posted) 6th August 2007
I think Oli is right, more of a rant than anything else and with ranting you can become a bit incoherent. I don't really know what you are trying to say 
cheers

Written by Fledermaus (3485 comments posted) 6th August 2007
I agree that this is a rant rather than a poem, but if it is, then the content is more important than the form. Personally I think that imperialism isn't a black and white story. On the one hand the Europeans came and conquered, murdered, tortured, disrespected native peoples and traditions, and the main reason for their conquests was of course profit. 
Yet on the other hand, didn't nearly every other empire do exactly the same? Especially in South Africa, there was that other interesting empire, which ordered its soldiers "to wash their spears with blood". 
 
It will take time before the wounds of such a past heal, but South Africans have one great example of how such things could be solved. I never forget how Nelson Mandela on a trip to the Netherlands spoke to a bunch of kids and told them he liked all children, and that he saw no colour. That's a much better way to rebuilt Africa, than what racist Mugabe is doing. White South Africans, irrespective of their past, are Africans, just as black Europeans are Europeans.
You be The Judge
Written by Rattle_Spear (93 comments posted) 6th August 2007
Bottleblondesurfer 
You can flip the light switch 
Be it a rant or poem.....Or maybe a short story, too short to be told? 
Fledemaus, you are a skillful marksman indeed. 
Show me one nation on earth that has not had internal strife and I'll build you Utopia. 
Racism does not have a colour. 
R_S :eek

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