Poetry by John Kaniecki

A Rap for a Real Revolutionary

Bad news she softly said
Chairman Fred is dead
What was his crime?
What did he do wrong?
Being ahead of his time
And fighting too strong

The wind blows harsh in Chicago
Wailing woe
For the secrets it does know
We just wanted to be free
And live decently
She says between tears
As she hangs low her head
This is the worst of our fears
Chairman Fred is dead

Revolutionaries in truth cannot die
The question will persist
Why?

I insist
That we carry on
Though like so many others
Chairman Fred is gone

I salute you sisters, I salute you brothers
Let us not give up the fight
For one day darkness will be vanquished by light
That is the hope that is the dream
That is the motive supreme
Countless sorrows my heart has bled
Our martyrs’ blood like rivers flow
Oceans of agony is the pain we know
Chairman Fred is dead
We too must be willing to give our lives
That is how the struggle survives

Just a Share Cropper

I’m just a share cropper, dats my name
Many a title but we’re all de same
I work the soil seven days a weak
I labor and toil till I’m tired and week
I got to pay to fertilize.
I got to pay for seed
My integrity I compromise
To meet my family’s need
At the end of the season when harvest is done
I’m worse off then when I’ve begun
Da mastah he keep the book
Da mastah he won’t even let me take a look
If I dare to argue and fight
I’ll get a visit late at night
So I silently curse and deny my pride
And my anger and hatred I try to hide
See the mastah he got complete control
He got everything but a soul

Trotsky and the Revolution

Trotsky Slips on his pink ballerina slippers
Majestically performing Swan Lake
A comrade quippers
His shoes should have been red
That was his tragic mistake
Another shot back at his brother
To me, they should be
Blue and no other color
So back and forth went the debate
And the closest of friends fled in hate
I believe no man is above another
I believe capitalism and imperialism must cease
I believe the soviets should dictate to above
I believe in communal peace
I believe in common Love
I believe the pigs and dogs whom lust in greed
Should share with the masses who are in need
I believe in the failure of the partial solution
I believe in total revolution
And finally
I believe in totality
That Trotsky would agree with me
So let us not debate each minute detail
For if we do then we all shall fail

In Jail

Says the hood to the guard
“Aw man don’t you know life is hard?”
Said the guard to the hood
“Aw man it’s just that you ain’t no good!”
The prisoner clenches his fists on the cold steel bars
And gave the officer a serious stare
“Brother I don’t know who you are,
“But I certainly know that you don’t care!!”
The blue uniformed man’s face turned red
Confused if he felt anger or shame
Screaming, “Man your kind should all be dead,
“You ain’t got nobody but yourself to blame!!”
In the cage he sought to control his rage
The guard with nothing further to say
Simply walked away

Another criminal called from a distant cell
“Man don’t you know they gonna give you hell?”

The human being, God’s very own special creation
Replied stoically without hesitation
“If they give me hell that would be bliss
“Cause even hell is better than this.”