That Country

This is about the women of that country

Sometimes they spoke in slogans

They said

     We patch the roads as we patch our sweetheart’s trousers

     The heart will stop but not the transport

They said

     We have ensured production even near bomb craters

     Children let your voices sing higher than the explosions

                                                       of the bombs

They said

     We have important tasks to teach the children

     that the people are the collective masters

     to bear hardship

     to instill love in the family

     to guide the good health of the children (they must

     wear clothing according to climate)

They said

     Once men beat their wives

     now they may not

     Once a poor family sold its daughter to a rich old man

     now the young may love one another

They said

     Once we planted our rice any old way

     now we plant the young shoots in straight rows

     so the imperialist pilot can see how steady our

     hands are

In the evening we walked along the shores of the Lake

                                                  of the Restored Sword

I said   is it true?   we are sisters?

They said   Yes, we are of one family