GRACE PALEY

 

 That Country

  

This is about the women of that country

sometimes they spoke in slogans

They said

We patch the roads as we patch our sweetheart's trousers

The heart will stop but not the transport

They said

We have ensured production even near bomb craters

Children let your voices sing higher than the explosions of the

bombs

They said

We have important tasks to teach the children

that the people are the collective masters

to bear hardship

to instill love in the family

to guide for good health of the children (they must

wear clothing according to climate)

They said

once men beat their wives

now they may not

once a poor family sold its daughter to a rich old man

now the young may love one another

They said

once we planted our rice any old way

now we plant the young shoots in straight rows

so the imperialist pilot can see how steady our

hands are

 

In the evening we walked along the shores of the Lake of the Restored

Sword

 

I said is it true? we are sisters?

They said, Yes, we are of one family

 

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