He Could Have Been A Banker Poem by Gert Strydom

Working in jacket, shirt and tie,
carrying a briefcase,
greeting the other staff
that is already in

he could have been a banker,
every morning first thing at seven a.m.
checking the world's major currencies
against that of his own country,
buying, selling and extending
foreign exchange contracts
trading United States dollars,
European euros, British pounds, Swiss franks,
Australian dollars and even Swedish Crowns

for deals made across the globe
in billions of rands
calculating costs and profits
over extended periods of time

but he is selling death,
are busy with the finances
of a major arms manufacturer
that does business
in almost any part of the world.