Absence and Antinomy, v3

[alonso ramoran]

Hey RiverNotch,

A nice observational poem on race and class in different postcolonial societies.

Absence and Antinomy


I cannot say which system is the worse. I think this is already neatly conveyed in the last line, so it would be harmless to the piece if this line was cut.
In America, there was simply no sign that the pot
was ever owned by someone else: most places

had names in the tongues of their conquerors, most faces
were white or black or even my shape and color,
and there were no honors---no monuments nor exhibits

outside of museums---afforded to their first nations, I don't think the em dash is needed here
while in Australia a heritage more diverse
is championed by place names more byzantine, statues in public I like the implications of byzantine

more angular, murals more nonrealistic, and beggars
more universally dark, squat, and ragged.
Is it better to suffer such contradiction
or to be so thoroughly forgotten? I appreciate the thoughtfulness of the question, but I was not able to pick up on the positives that come with being forgotten (US) as opposed to the conditions that are nicely outlined in AU (remembered/commemorated but left materially desolate). If I guessed, the positive conditions for the US would be that indigenous cultures are erased/being erased but anyone can climb their way out of poverty, but imo that would be a gross oversimplification of the situation. I think you still have room for more exploration, even for Australia's case, before the final question is delivered. 

Another NaPM entry.

Thank you for sharing!