The Martha's Vineyard Times

Poets Corner: Occupy Your Heart

February 8, 2012

Martha's Vineyard Times File Video

Occupy Your Heart

To the rich man in his castle
To the cops who guard his gate
To the ladies on Fifth Avenue
To the fashion fourth estate
To the TV commentators
To the mad men buying time
To the faceless corporations
To their lawyers and their crime

Chorus:
I want to occupy your heart
I want to occupy your mind
I want to wander deep inside your soul
And see what I can find
I want to know what made you greedy
I want to know what makes you share
I want to know what you would die for
And I want to take you there

To the bankers and their money
To insurance companies
To the spineless politicians
Stealing life from you and me
To the generals at the pentagon
To the soldiers soon to die
To weapons manufacturers
Telling patriotic lies

To the fossil fuel companies
To auto manufacturers
To the food and drug conglomerates
Selling poisons and the cures
To the ordinary citizens
In foreclosure bankruptcy
When will you rise up singing out
In the land of the free?

Michael West is a poet, teacher, singer and songwriter who lives in Vineyard Haven. He is the father of two sons, Chris, 23, an Island landscaper, and Harry, 17, a junior at Martha's Vineyard Regional High School. A video of Mr. West singing his poem to guitar is available at mvtimes.com.

Poet's Corner is a new Martha's Vineyard Times feature. Dan Waters, former poet laureate of West Tisbury, welcomes contributions from all comers, and he will select poems to be published here. Submissions should be directed to dan@indianhillpress.com.