Empires Require... Poem by Frank Bana

The practice of empire requires
An ancient birth mythology
A dominant warrior culture armed
By martial ideology

A broken captive underclass
Incited to celebrate violence
A cruelly competitive atmosphere
That reduces discourse to silence

Collaborators and raw recruits
Manning the overseas bases
Consultants on call to design and sell
Hearts-and-mind embraces

The finance of empire encompasses
Tax probes of remaining protestors
Fine dining at the palaces
For major corporate investors

The bidding of empire is carried out
By gangs of intimidators
Assassination of characters
Tarred as domestic traitors

Patriotic cheerleaders
Singing stars and shamans
Harmonize the party line
Inflating the foreign demons

The sanctity of empire calls
For the coffins to be shrouded
Smoke screen information keeps
The air of reason clouded

Multi-coloured holy rags
Religious benedictions
And news bites of selective facts
Mask the contradictions

Maintaining illusions fondly-held
That emperors of deception
Are hard at work for the common good
And rule for our protection.