Tiananmen Square, China 1989
THE MAN FROM THE CROWD
-by Sam Walter Foss (June 19, 1858 - February 26, 1911)
Men seem as alike as the leaves on the trees,
As alike as the bees in a swarming of bees;
And we look at the millions that make up the state
All equally little and equally great,
And the pride of our courage is cowed.
Then Fate calls for a man who is larger than men --
There's a surge in the crowd -- there's a movement -- and then
There arises a man that is larger than men --
And the man comes up from the crowd.
The chasers of trifles run hither and yon,
And the little small days of small things go on,
And the world seems no better at sunset than dawn,
And the race still increases its plentiful spawn.
And the voice of our wailing is loud.
Then the Great Deed calls out for the Great Men to come,
And the Crowd, unbelieving, sits sullen and dumb --
But the Great Deed is done, for the Great Man is come --
Aye, the man comes up from the crowd.
There's a dead hum of voices, all say the same thing,
And our forefathers' songs are the songs that we sing,
And the deeds by our fathers and grandfathers done
Are done by the son of the son of the son,
And our heads in contrition are bowed.
Lo, a call for a man who shall make all things new
Goes down through the throng! See! he rises in view!
Make room for the men who shall make all things new! --
For the man who comes up from the crowd.
And where is the man who comes up from the throng
Who does the new deed and who sings the new song,
And makes the old world as a world that is new?
And who is the man? It is you! It is you!
And our praise is exultant and proud.
We are waiting for you there -- for you are the man!
Come up from the jostle as soon as you can;
Come up from the crowd there, for you are the man --
The man who comes up from the crowd.
(Click here for more about Sam Walter Foss, a poet introduced to me by my family doctor this year.)
Tunisia 2011 (photo via Google images)
Egypt 2011 (photo via upi.com)
Wisconsin 2011 (Photo via guardian.co.uk)
Libya 2011 (Photo via AP-Hussein Malla)
About this video:
TANK MAN TANGO
4 June [2009] is the 20th anniversary of the Tiananmen Square massacre. Be part of a memorial made of dancing bodies in cities around the world- this video introduces the dance based on the steps of tank man, who faced off the tanks in 1989 and became a symbol of courage against tyranny. For more info and to join this worldwide dance spectacular: www.forget2forget.net It is an artwork by Deborah Kelly featuring Teik Kim Pok dancing choreography by Jane McKernan in a video made by Sven Simulacrum. With many thanks to May Ee Wong, Fiona Freiheit, Frank Motz, Wei Lai, Martin del Amo, Fei Wong, Lachlan Warner, Celia White, Mark Mitchell, Lee Weng Choy, Estee Wah, Su Goldfish, Bec Dean, Katie Hepworth, Kernow Craig and David Teh.
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Protester clip art via RiniArt.org
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