Dis organized

There is no poetry at an organizing conference in Egypt and since i was the only poet i am to blame.

The other attendees were writers in the sense of spending time typing on computers.

They produce blogs, reports, books of a perceived nature.

I my self felt stifled.

 

I knew not the language or the culture…

 

a strange mixture of women.

Some a slit for eyes in black,

the irony predictable

when they are wearing glasses

 

a belly dancer

with stretch marks 

“Give me money”

as i arrive…

 

a westerner

and though not

immediately

i did oblige.

 

Smoking hash

like a king

fruit plates

cheese

beer

and cigarettes

with allah and

the forty thieves

 

the Egyptian

who spent time

in ottowa

rains pounds* on

the dancers head.

 

*Egyptian money 

 

What is demeaning ?

 

the modern dress of

the new bourgeoisie?

 

The weary faces of the men in long gowns?

 

Lenin said, “The wealthy nations will feast on the poor.”

 

A bus driving union organizers says

“Colonization has gutted this country.”

 

Individuals sold the people and the land.

 

money in modern banks

 

A security guard in Maadi

(a rich area of Cairo)

is paid six hundred

Egyptian pounds 600 

a month with a family

12 hours a day

six days a week

 

$100 USD

printed away

imagine you

yes you

owned

the printing

press.