Maybe The Poet
Maybe the poet is gay
But he'll be heard anyway
Maybe the poet is drugged
But he won't stay under the rug
Maybe the voice of the spirit
In which case you'd better hear it
Maybe he's a woman
Who can touch you where you're human
Male female slave or free
Peaceful or disorderly
Maybe you and he will not agree
But you need him to show you new ways to see
Don't let the system fool you
All it wants to do is rule you
Pay attention to the poet
You need him and you know it
Put him up against the wall
Shoot him up with pentothal
Shoot him up with lead
You won't call back what's been said
Put him in the ground
But one day you'll look around
There'll be a face you don't know
Voicing thoughts you've heard before
Male female slave or free
Peaceful or disorderly
Maybe you and he will not agree
But you need him to show you new ways to see
Don't let the system fool you
All it wants to do is rule you
Pay attention to the poet
You need him and you know it
Toronto January 1982
Quizás el poeta
Quizás el poeta sea gay
Pero de todas formas será escuchado
Quizás el poeta esté drogado
Pero no se quedará debajo de la alfombra
Quizás sea la voz del espíritu
En cuyo caso es mejor que lo escuches
Quizás sea una mujer
Que puede tocarte donde eres humano
Hombre mujer esclavo o libre
Pacífico o desordenado
Quizás tú y él no estén de acuerdo
Pero lo necesitas para mostrarte nuevas formas de ver
No dejes que el sistema te engañe
Todo lo que quiere es gobernarte
Presta atención al poeta
Lo necesitas y lo sabes
Ponlo contra la pared
Inyéctale pentotal
Dispárale con plomo
No podrás deshacer lo dicho
Entiérralo
Pero un día mirarás a tu alrededor
Habrá un rostro que no conoces
Expresando pensamientos que has escuchado antes
Hombre mujer esclavo o libre
Pacífico o desordenado
Quizás tú y él no estén de acuerdo
Pero lo necesitas para mostrarte nuevas formas de ver
No dejes que el sistema te engañe
Todo lo que quiere es gobernarte
Presta atención al poeta
Lo necesitas y lo sabes
Toronto enero 1982