Swans

Canada's MPs decided to bomb Serbia -- Ottawa, March 1999 (revised August 2001).
 

The corridors of Parliament
like passageways of tombs
are heavy with futility
and great emptiness.

The members of parliament
led by Jean Chretien
all well equipped
with brain, heart and mouth
meet and decide
(quite free of dissent)
That Canada's jets
will now begin bombing
the people of Serbia.

It happened that simply
that Ottawa turned
its back on the UN
and started to march
to Washington's drum.

No fuss was made
by Canada's media
about breaking the Charter
that Unites the Nations;
the Charter was broken
with no fuss at all.

The parliament buildings
remained quite unchanged
no smart-bombs were falling
on Senate or Commons
the sidewalks of Ottawa
were cluster-bomb free.

A maple leaf flag
still flew from the peace tower
a mountie in scarlet
still stood on display
the tourists snapped pictures
each stone was in place
on this neat pile of rock
with its hollow insides.