Mumbo Jumbo

They came from the land of Jumbo,

Crossed the sea in their little boats,

Carried their wives and children here

In anything that would float,

They wanted the sort of freedoms we

Had always had for our own,

Would we be able to squeeze them in

And welcome them into our home?

 

They brought all their bags and baggage,

A thousand years of despair,

When life had been such a hardship

In the jungles of  - 'Out there!'

We offered the hand of friendship,

They took it, and came right in,

Along with their prophet Mumbo

Who they carried right under their skin!

 

They settled in little pockets,

They kept themselves to their own,

Objected to learning the language that

Was spoken in their new home,

The women were covered from head to foot

And walked three feet behind,

Freedom for them was just a word -

They could search, but couldn't find!

 

They brought their own witch doctors

And scorned the likes of ours,

They told them we were an evil race

With our wealth, beliefs and powers,

They prayed to the prophet Mumbo

Said his word should be the law,

Ignored the law of the nation that

Had welcomed them to its shore.

 

They hated our celebrations,

And tried to get us to stop,

And we, like the village idiots

Accepted the culture shock,

We tried so hard to please them,

That we lost what once we had,

The freedom to criticize them

Or their customs, good or bad.

 

Our laws have turned against us,

We tread on tippy-toe,

We might not like how it's going

But we wouldn't want them to know.

The tension here is building

As our freedoms run like sand,

In this land of Mumbo Jumbo,

We have got to make a stand!

 

David Lewis Paget

Reviews

[roarke]

There more in the title mumbo jumbo. Seems the planetary crust has shifted, yet though the continents have changed, the people haven't. Human's are an odd, dissatisfied species. I think in the end, whenever, however that shall be, those humans will probably end up where they started and get what they deserve.

[Ellen Hammond]

It is sad that there are those who immigrate to a country then bad mouth it and try to change it. And some of our govenments just keep giving in rather than take a stand. Not only does it make hard for the citizens but also for others immigrants who desire to live in harmony because the anger that arises is turned on them be association.

This is a good poem, well penned as always and with a message that needs to be heard.

[Merlot]

Definitely NOT Mumbo Jumbo. The truth of it is becoming increasingly obvious.If we don't make a stand very soon we will lose our identity.

[Lena M. P.]

Oh too true my friend. If we aren't careful we will loose all that we have fought so hard to obtain to those who only wish to destroy us.