by Shahin Shabanian
From the country of Greece
Came a poignant voice,
Soft as an evening breeze,
“We will defend our peace.”
It grew strong with passing days
Calling all to unite against a disease,
Which erodes confidence,
While robbing all with ease;
We will break the chain.
The chain of powerlessness,
Diminishing our focus, causing hopelessness;
The chain of selfishness,
Stopping us to empathize;
The chain of servitude,
We will not compromise,
And we will break the chain.
The youth, striving to achieve their dreams,
Are bounded by the chain but defying it as a spirited team.
The old are distressed and without help,
Communities are in disparate shape.
The chain limits their reach
Its purpose is to enslave each
But we have not given up hope
With our struggle, solidarity will develop.
The chain had been broken before:
Socrates, in opposing the establishment, would iterate
“I will not relent,
Nor will I repent.”
Fearing not the power nor to abide
He was punished by death and the truth shall not be denied
His dignity was his bedrock
He refused to bow; he was to drink the hemlock.
Euripides mourned and anguished,
Over nations which vanquished;
For women and children who perished,
By senseless wars, that he admonished.
Be the victor his nation
He saw no cause for celebration.
He broke the chain
And forever with us, he will remain.
Theodorakis[1] and Farantouri[2];
Lambrakis[3] and Mercouri[4];
Workers, teachers and pensioners;
Nurses, doctors and sailors;
And many other Greeks who fought,
They broke the chain throughout.
They resisted tyranny and gave lives without a doubt,
When the nation cried, “guard the liberty from despotic plight.”
Zeus’s throne is not in Europe,
He embodies the globalization group.
When the breeze turns to gale and hurricane,
Prometheus is heard shouting again:
“We will dethrone Zeus,
When the united people demand their dues.”
Stand firm as the Colossus of Rhodes,
The world is with you million folds.
The fire has been handed down,
Break the chain and melt it down;
Build houses, roads and towns,
The world is finished with “the finance” clowns.
1) Mikis Theodorakis is the great Greek music composer and music director who was jailed during military coup regime of 1967-1974.
2) Maria Farantouri is an internationally known Greek singer, political activist and a musical collaborator of Theodorakis. She became a member of the Greek parliament 1989-1993.
3) Grigoris Lambrakis was a physician, a socialist member of the Greek Parliament and an international peace activist. He was assassinated by military junta. The film “Z,” directed by Costa Gavras, is a fictional depiction of his assassination.
4) Melina Mercouri was an international actress, an anti-military junta activist who exposed the criminalities of the junta in international arena. After the fall of junta, she became the Minister of Culture in Greece.