Dahil may live na kilos-protesta mamaya, buong araw, caravan, hindi pa naman tigil-pasada, atras-yagbols na etong mga reaksyunaryo at may ilan nang nagsuspindi ng pasok. Kontra sa mga bwakanangshet na kartel ng langis ang pambansang pagkilos, at naririto ang medyo pinal nang burador ng adaptasyon ko ng tula / kanta ng The Axel Pinpin Propaganda Machine.)
Remote Control
by RJ Mabilin and Axel Pinpin, Transliterated / adapted by Tilde Acuña
Don't be surprised
if the peasants paint their rage
on the bailey of the Department of National Defense.
Unlike you,
they don't have Facebook walls
where L-O-L's & Je-je-je's
& fuck-that-shit's may be published.
Unlike you
who have bodies built
by daily 2-hour workouts at Fitness First,
unlike you
their character
is fashioned by a hundred years of poverty
unlike you
their legs
are beefed up by miles of marches on the streets;
unlike you
their arms
are fortified by deflecting the blows of the thieves.
As Gil Scott-Heron says
The Revolution
will not be televised.
Unlike you
who believe that being -
and I quote - a good Filipino - end quote,
meant crossing only on pedestrian lanes,
catching bus rides on designated bus stops,
and avoiding the use of wang-wangs.*
Unlike you
their love for the motherland
meant the preparedness to trample across
roads where No Jaywalking signs are put up
or else, these sidewalks where people are forbidden to be.
Yes, forbidden! People are forbidden to be here!
Unlike you
their love for the People
meant the zeal to post bills
on buildings that say Post No Bill,
And, upon arrest shall surely be sentenced -
No! You can't post bail!
As Gil Scott-Heron says
The Revolution
will not be televised.
Unlike you whose pleasures rest on noon time shows
Enjoying the commercial that inquires for whom you arise
But cannot air the call to Boycott Nestlé!
Showtime, from which the wolves profit, sells best.
Unlike you who garner awards and recognition
But do not recognize the people behind the camera.
Unlike you who ground pleasures on ratings
you who shamelessly read and imitate Dylan Thomas
as you deliver the lines of the poems for the Captain.
You said “Rage, rage against the dying of the light…”
Those lines are theirs. Theirs!
And because of this their tears fall once again,
not because of the unique visual effects,
or poignant background music,
or primetime advertisements;
cuz diz us d real reality show, yes, the truth!
Unlike you
their investment is the preparedness to be arrested,
to be detained, to be tortured and to sing Songs of Hope
while guns are pointed at their backs.
Unlike you
their reward is the singing
of the forward march of the masses
while their blindfolds are being tightened.
Unlike you
their victory
is the whistling of the Internationale
while their own graves are being excavated.
Unlike them who are ready to be disappeared
and be among the collection of "Surfacing."
Unlike them who are ready to perish
and be recorded as stats among victims of extra-judicial killings.
To perish and be recorded and be exhibited as Art in Fact Sheet.
To perish and be recorded as poetry, to die and to live in poetry.
To perish and become immortal in poetry.
And one morning, there are no television programs.
Utter static. Utter static.
Neither good mornings
nor news, nor good evening, world.
Nothing at all. Neither banners
nor telenovelas, nor noon time crap of a show.
Neither commercials, nor remnants of the past.
Nothing at all. Nothing at all.
As Gil Scott-Heron says
The Revolution
will not be televised.
And as another writer puts it in his word of advice:
I hope the children don't imitate such an abuse
this is why in this evening of class solidarity
I shall seize the remote control and shut you down!
As we speak,
The working class on Television
wants to wage a revolution!
And it is - Live!
*sirens, often used by emergency vehicles or VIPs, as on-road wailing warning signals so that other motorists give such vehicles the right of way.
[Narito] ang mga schedule at venue mula sa Kilusang Mayo Uno.
May "Facts and Figures" at Video re: Oil Price ang Mayday [rito].
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