The poem 'The National' refused to publish

BY THE ESTATE OF ICARUS

IT WAS THE PASIN OF THE LATE ‘ICARUS’ to share his politically oriented works on PNG Attitude and in the Writers Forum of The National newspaper. (Unfortunately this means the Estate may never benefit from the works, at least financially).

The reason for sharing his good poetry (in the opinion of the Estate) was fairly simple and straightforward: to get readers, writers and thinkers to review the choices they are making about political leaders and leadership in PNG.

The late ‘Icarus’ had submitted several works to the Writers Forum and had provided high praise for their earlier championing of PNG writers and PNG literature.

However, two of his more provocative writing colleagues, Nou Vada and Martyn Namorong, were banned for reasons already reported on in PNG Attitude.

Most disappointingly the icon of PNG literature, poet Russell Soaba, has been banned from The National, hence robbing PNG readers, writers and thinkers of his wisdom and guidance through the very stimulating Soaba’s Storyboard. Thankfully, Mr Soaba has been swept up by the rival daily Post-Courier.

While The National newspaper has its prerogative to accept, reject or hire and fire writers from its pages, the Estate of Icarus finds the recent actions of banning such vocal critics of government and the status quo in PNG to be disturbing at the least and outright scandalous at the worst.

The state of Papua New Guinea is, after all, founded on democratic principles, one of these being the freedom of expression.

The Estate of Icarus questions if this banning is in some way an attempt to ‘kill the messenger’.

So readers may draw their own conclusions, the Estate of Icarus is submitting a poem that the late Icarus sent to the Writers Forum on 1 August 2011, and which was, for reasons unknown, never published.

It follows here.....

The aspiring politician’s 36 winning ways for making monkeys

BY ICARUS

We are in the business of making monkeys
We breed them and feed them
We baptize them in our creed
We bestow them with our greed

We are in the business of making monkeys
We wean them and preen them
We crown them at our will
We disown them at a whim

We are in the business of making monkeys
We inveigle them and ignite them
We inspire them with our dreams
We ingrain them in our schemes

We are in the business of making monkeys
We belie them and belittle them
We baffle them with ease
We bamboozle them as we please

We are in the business of making monkeys
We deride them and deprive them
We deny them satisfaction
We defeat them with our system

We are in the business of making monkeys
We cajole them and enroll them
We payroll them with our profits
We pacify them with our promises

We are in the business of making monkeys
We defile them and revile them
We educate them in depravity
We domesticate them in poverty

We are in the business of making monkeys
We mislead them and maroon them
We amputate them from reason
We direct them to self-destruction

We are in the business of making monkeys
We whore them and devour them
We defy them with our hypocrisy
We deny them true democracy

Comments

[Reginald Renagi]

What a lovely poem by Icarus.

I see nothing in the poem whatsoever that is political in nature or even contained something of a serious nature that may be deemed prejudicial to The National newspaper of PNG.

I am also very sad to be made aware now that a regular PNG Attitude writer, Icarus (and a good one at that), has also passed on; and I send my belated condolences to his family.

I want to thank The State of Icarus for sharing this lovely poem by our late comrade, Icarus, with the readers of PNG Attitude.
___________

Reg, the passing of Icarus is only poetic; the temporal being continues in another form - KJ

[Bernard Yegiora]

Icarus, what a lovely poem.

[Leonard Roka]

We are in the same boat, the late Icarus. Last year I sent a poem to The Weekender, but that poem never got into print, maybe because of it political nature.

Since then, I stopped sending in.

The question is: Is PNG a democratic state allowing freedom of expression?

A Bougainvillean nationalist, is now been denied freedom in PNG.

[Michael Dom]

Regina - a wise friend said self-censorship is the worst kind.
This poem is contemporary literature (criticism not slander) and PNG is supposed to be a democracy, so why not test it 'without fear or favor'?
At least we will know the truth of where people and leaders stand.

[Mari Ellingson]

Very powerful poem! Thank you PNG Attitude for publishing it here.

[Regina Dorum]

Very true Tavurvur. I just met my Grade 12 English teacher, a Philipino man named Mr. Balaino, who is teaching in Port Moresby National high Schools. I was one if his best students so he was happy that I actually tried writing. Maybe I could give him the Poems for his class since he was also interested in my stories to teach his class. I am just scared that he might be intimidated or deported if certain people are aware of it....It sure is a powerful poem. Please advice.

[Tavurvur]

I read this a few times. What a powerful poem.

I remember sitting through too many English classes in PNG examining and dissecting American 18th Century poetry, the English classics, etc etc...

But what about PNG poetry? Why couldn't we have spent weeks on PNG poetry and the like - scrutinising, debating and explaining these texts which hold within their words home truths waiting to be revealed and learned.

Imagine allocating this to a class of Grade 8s and asking them to provide an oral report the next day on what they think it means?

The discussion generated would be of tremendous value to our young people.