Dollar to the Giant

Dollar to the Giant

By Robert Hall
Trade Reform.org
November 30, 2013

Echoing rust. Factory line.
Dead-child memory of another time.

The sign said this spot was USA–
Too young to know it didn’t have to be this way.

Sweat-stain genius, practical hands,
built factories, built the goods, built the land.

First steps forgotten. History blind,
We’re connected to our roots by a credit line.

Wakening giant. Hunger and rice.
Caught the scent of our money, knew we wouldn’t fight.

Slippery giant. History wise.
Put down his guns, put on a friendly disguise.

We closed our eyes

And the Giant from the East woke up from a sleep,
hunger for the heads of our young.
No suspicion of war, through the open door,
manifest of Mao Tse-Tung.

Ulterior plans in the giant’s hands,
steel cages hit our shores in a flood.
And all we received for a moment of greed,
was paid for with our children’s blood.

We gave up our future, families and friends.
Dollar to the giant, dollar never seen again.

Agreeable climate: pickpockets and noise.
The bankers jumped to the giant like little boys.

Economy experts selling their time,
But nothing made nothing.
Can you spare a dime.

Productivity’s children sleeping in chains.
Giant kept our credit up, kept us entertained.

Fear-fallen children couldn’t say no,
Wouldn’t read label made in Chinese.
Where did the money go?

Detoured discussion about manufacturing trade.
Instead we’re led to every trap the giant made.

The future decided at the giant’s store–
Took every dollar we had and loaned us money for more.

Who are we doing this for?

The Giant from the East, a billion-head beast,
feeding on the hopes of our young.
No resemblance of war,through the open door,
mannequins of Mao Tse-Tung.

Invisible plans in the giant’s hands,
temptation hit our stores in a flood.
And all we received for bargains we believed,
was paid for with our children’s blood.

We traded in our future, families and friends.
Dollar to the giant, dollar never seen again.

Reckoning rust. Factory line.
Lost-dream memory of a better time.

All the signs say this choice was Made in USA–
Too numb to know it didn’t have to be this way.

http://www.tradereform.org/2010/07/dollar-to-the-giant