Lee Wen (1957–2019)
SELECTED POEMS
untitled, February 2014.
THE FACT IS THAT WE HAVE BEEN RIDING ON THAT SAME
BUS ALL THESE YEARS ONLY PROBLEM SOME ARE TRY-
ING TO DRIVE IN DRUNKENESS OR NOT CLEAR HOW TO
OR MAYBE DRIVING US OVER THE CLIFF OR JUST GOING
ROUND IN CIRCLES CLAIMING WE ARE MOVING ON. BUT
ACTUALLY THE BUS GOT AN OUTDATED ENGINE 300YEARS
OLD AND ALL I AM SAYING IS LETS GET THAT UPDATED
CHANGED AND REALLY GET IT GOING. CAUSE WE HAVE
NOT MOVED AN INCH FOR 20 YEARS. WE ARE ONLY PARTY-
ING AND REDECORATING THIS BUS IN AN ILLUSION THAT
WE MOVED ON BUT HEY WAIT I SAY HEY LOOK BROTHERS
AND SISTERS LOOK WHAT CHANGED RATHER MAYBE WE
ARE CHAINED BY INVISIBLE CHAINS OF COMPLACENCY,
ABARENCE OF COMFORT MISTAKING OUR SECURITY AS
SAFE WHEN WE ARE DEAD AND DROWNING IN TH PRISON
DECORATIVELY BUILT LIKE A PARADIZE, WE ARE NUMBED,
BRAIN DEAD BY PROPAGANDA OF PARANOIA AND FEAR,
BLINDED BY FAKE SUCCESS. IF WE CANNOT SEE THIS WE
WILL NOT SEE THE CHANGED WORLD WE DREAMED FOR….
FOR DREAMS CAN ONLY BE ACTIVATED INTO REALITY BY
WAKING UP.
by Lee Wen
from Boring Donkey Songs (2017)
