(dedicated to Champa Devi Shukla & Rashida Bee)
She sweeps like Shiva’s
universal dance against ignorance
cleaning up the toxic details
without fear of reprisals,
she sweeps the excuses
out from beneath the corporate
imported subsidy rug
where Mr. Executive Empire
piles up his indictment
to face criminal charges in India
Along with her neighbors
the survivor widows of Bhopal
she sweeps up social responsibility
for the pesticide melt down,
cry’s out for clean up
of drinking water,
infected water with chemicals
decayed from cyanide exposure
(just like in gas chambers)
She shares the Goldman
Environmental Award (2004)
with her compatriot, together
they sweep out the evidence
gathered in stringent investigations,
sweep out the darkest grief
holding together the ten thousand-fold losses,
sweep away the social distance
concealing chronic pesticide wounds
Let us sweep
all together at their side
gather detailed answers for accountability,
sweep justice up
with this community of down-winders,
pick up full restitution
life long health care,
the simple human rights
required like bread
like a searing freedom song
for the endangered
(and the endearing)
women of Bhopal
Larry is a West Coast poet with recent work appearing in "Citizen 32" and in
NthPositionDot-Com's "Poems for Madrid." Larry values a poetry of witness and contributing to a literature of justice. He is working on a book of poems called "Mural
Poems. He has been a volunteer editor with Poets Against War, reads often with several
poetry series, and assists Amnesty International Puget Sound with literary, and human rights events.
http://bhopal.bard.edu/resources/research.php
