Agreement
The leeches of the military industry crave
fresh blood. Directors do not read poetry.
There’s no reason – their children won’t go
to the trenches. Their servants, the party leaders,
take care of it all. They don’t read poetry either.
No need! They rule by the magic of fear, and
no one will object to taking from schools or
cutting funds for healthcare.
Patriotism is a benign tumor that constantly
strives to return to its natural state. The Minister
of Defense has been promoted to Minister of
Offense. No one reads poetry, what did the wife
of the soldier get from the vast land of Russia?*
At an emergency government session the living
force has been increased from the modest twenty-five
to an imposing two hundred fifty thousand graves.
*Bertold Brecht, What Did the Soldier’s Wife Receive?
Translated by Esma Hadžiselimović

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