Civilization III
Laijon Liu 20121125
Oh, our life being in this world,
Shouldn’t it be a picnic in park?
Bathing in a clear stream and sun
Causaully sitting nude and rest under trees
Green spring medow, fresh fragant breeze
Birds glide and sing, frogs hop and call
Resonant noise is a melodic serenade
Echoes in every heart of attentive soulmate
Beauty-truth, truth-beauty
See, this is how I empower liberty
thru nudity
Like birth of Venus enlightens all admirers
Wisdom and eros revealed on this mortal body
I say People, you see Mob
I see a Goddess, you say A Whore
I am here for my freedom of expression
But you desperately try to end a revolution
How we come to this point
That none of our view and focus get across
Dress codes rule over our faith and
society
No one is allowed to be bare and frank
Only dead heroes, gods and goddess can be nude
And they must be molded and painted
in vigorous form
Gentlemen are priets, judges and scholars
Their new cloth and rhetoric defines ‘superiority’
But my soul longs for a spring bath
My body yearns for sunshine and breeze
Ah, Liberty is power
Happiness is self-confident and content
From this moment onward
I daringly stare at the past and future
And smile at all critics and on-lookers
The world is a park, and life should be a picnic
What’s so serious about keeping the traditions?
And submit to the established orders?
Roll out your column of tanks
Aim your rock and throw at me
But I’m already liberated thru this suicidal act
Rules I break and remake
Ground I stand and fall and rise
Coz this breath I myself dictate
Yes! I am that I am!
Gods dwell in heavens, but we human reside on earth
I prefer nature and honesty over any garment and rites
My open status, profession as my title and name
Like fruit in my basket fell out upon the grass
What you see is what you get
I am raw and simple, careless and direct
I cast away the surrounding shadows
And abandon the proper setting of light
Only my braveness and unabashed gesture shines
In the center of this giant historical frame
What’s right or wrong, truth or false?
What’s fair or obscene, permitted or forbidden?
Whose principal we must follow
To work and party and to express?
I am the centerpiece of this feast
Like every individual in her private garden
Light, color, object, and shade
The planter has his privilege to sow and reap
Be not mad because I am undressed
Be not perplexed about my freedom and reason
Goddess only exist in their names
This earthly body is in its true ratio and natural form
Corpse are wrapped in shroud
A casket is to bury underground
Uniform is for work and church
Naked we are born and to resurrect
Behold
behold this remote garden scene
Be inspired
sunset and sunrise share same beauty
Hear
hear the calling frogs and birds song
and enjoy
and smile
and wake up in this nature’s symphony
-End-
Note:
Poem on Manet’s Picnic painting
"Gentlemen are priets, judges and scholars": to avoid misinterpretation, this line is strictly targeted the society of the artist's time, when his society and culture was still in struggle and not yet fully developed to a democratic environment, and now this society still exist in far east and middle east, honorable name and prestige titles states as 'authority' that established by dictating government and unreasonable religious enterprises, their 'authority' is carried out by force, not by purification of people's free choice, free thinking and individual basic right and opinion.
Poem on Manet’s Picnic painting
"Gentlemen are priets, judges and scholars": to avoid misinterpretation, this line is strictly targeted the society of the artist's time, when his society and culture was still in struggle and not yet fully developed to a democratic environment, and now this society still exist in far east and middle east, honorable name and prestige titles states as 'authority' that established by dictating government and unreasonable religious enterprises, their 'authority' is carried out by force, not by purification of people's free choice, free thinking and individual basic right and opinion.
