They Did Not Say - By Mara Lemanis
They Did Not Say
They did not say
you are wrong
they said your vision
lacks right
you said,
all visions are right
that do no harm
your vision
harms ours, they said,
our vision is
tidy and small
your vision is
messy and gross
invasive and vast
inclusive, you said
intrusive, they said
our minds are refined
your vision turns
sand into mud
with images crass
clashing and strange
sapping autonomy
deranging harmony
my vision is like
the ocean, you said
it nurtures the land
it mirrors the sky,
your ocean will drown us
water is life, you said
first, they said,
we drain the excess
and pipe it to tidy wells
that deepen our vision
where is compassion,
you asked
not our mission,
they said.
–Mara Lemanis
Mara Lemanis
Biography: Mara Lemanis is a literary scholar. Her essays have been selected for 20th CENTURY LITERARY CRITICISM
and are included in undergraduate student textbooks in the U.S.
She has worked as an archivist for Historical Preservation and with the IRC, assisting refugees in Oakland, California.
Disclaimer: The views, opinions and positions expressed within this guest article are those of the author Mara Lemanis alone and do not represent those of the Marbella Marbella website. The accuracy, completeness and validity of any statements made within this article are not guaranteed. We accept no liability for any errors, omissions or representations. The copyright of this content belongs to Mara Lemanis and any liability with regards to infringement of intellectual property rights remains with the author.
