BRAIN DRAIN

On the wings of change

Brain Drain

Don't be so naive and disgruntled

by my tongue twisting patronym 

nor my ear piercing inflection

 

The main culprit doesn't lie there

for I heard that redundant 

uppity, remarks countless time 

from many stuck up chauvinists.  

But can you even pronounce Arugula 

using your only mother tongue ? 

It's not a paradigm to exhaust one's 

last munition and stick to one's gun when 

presented with compelling evidence 

Country and culture has color 

and so as language and choices 

Perhaps you fell asleep in your elective 

So let's set the records straight

and trace our roots  

To dust all these cobwebs of denials

and scrub this marinating rust 

under this melting pot 

of ignorant repressions 

 

Knowledge is power 

implicated in literation 

unless its misappropriated

and truth corrupted 

by carefully published heritage

 

Can we chew the cod 

and be on the same page on this ?

I did not came by boat 

like the early Pioneers. 

Neither by sled of Inuit

or crossed the demarcation line on foot

I came violating Newton's Law 

by Wright Brother's ingenuity.

On fixed wings of Caduceus 

Propelled by the gift of Prometheus ... 

by NeiL ArandA 08/11/2016

Author's Note

It was believed during a period of intense cold in the Arctic. A pathway was created linking the inhabitants of the frigid north to the New World was inadvertently discovered by a pack of hunting Inuit's who came first to settle in the wide plains of America. Hence comes the origin of the Red Race or American Indian.

Genealogy has always had a following in the U.S. But prior to the civil rights movement, which encouraged racial and ethnic minorities to embrace their previously marginalized identities, the study of family history was largely the province of white social climbers and chauvinists. In the late 19th and early 20th centuries, with millions of southern Europeans arriving on American shores, white elites often sought to maintain their social status by promoting a definition of whiteness that excluded newcomers.

Genealogy became a way for them to prove their credentials and gain entry into such hereditary societies as the Daughters of the American Revolution, which was founded in 1890 and stood for, in the words of its president general, “the purity of our Caucasian blood.” And this obsession in heritage sparks an identity crisis among future sons and daughters of the Confederate. The question still remain unanswered. Who are the true Americans ?

Reviews

[1VJ]

A plethora of information within your poetry, I was expecting something totally different from the title. Most enjoyable and thought provoking, 'true' Americans, that's still up for debate I guess, but according to Independent news, "New evidence suggests that the Indians are not quite as indigenous as previously believed, that they themselves might be descended from the same stock as their erstwhile European tormentors".

[NeiL ArandA]

Thank you for your triumvirate take on this posted piece that intrigues your pondering mind. If you are from the Apple City. Brain has been draining there and welcomed by the Torch Bearer from France. Yes Ms Paloma the title is a bit tricky for me to settle with but fit the entire motif of the piece. The North and South have a differing views and opinion of who are the true Americans either by skin pigmentation or by first and late comer basis. It is still an ongoing debate depending on where your home-court is and what publishing books you are reading. During trans migratory travel, skin pigmentation doesn't change or evolve. There's but a slight feature change as a group of people establish their own culture and ways and adapts to their new environment. I beg to disagree that they were descendants of their evictors. When American Indians were placed in Reservations. Drugs, Alcohol and Gambling were introduced in their lifestyle and culture and other Government aids and subsidies translated as entitlements. These vices and appeasements poisoned their minds and as you precisely said " not quite as indigenous " was true. So their children's children won't strive hard and get higher education to hold higher position or prominent office in the government to fight and advocate for their God given right and privileges. I would question my source and weigh it with a grain of salt with this thought. A wild bird hunter would attract more bird into a lake when it used a real geese instead of a decoy for more and easy catch. So they trapped its offspring and domesticated them to be used for live decoys. The ecological implication is this, they lost their natural God given ability and instinct to migrate. I hope I have answered all your conundrums.

[1VJ]

Yes, thanks, you have and then some, you're very intelligent. I wasn't disagreeing with your assessment, merely noting something I read, but then again I hardly believe all I read. I guess the debate will continue on and on.

Bad news for those baby geese. I understand.

[NeiL ArandA]

You have an inquisitive mind. It provokes and commands a response and answer. Yes those poor baby geese were collateral damages like your Bird Poem they were sitting duck. I appreciate your thoughts and comments Ms Paloma. :)

[gabrielle]

The last stanza is brilliant. Lots of information could be derive from such 4 lines.

[NeiL ArandA]

Thank you Gab for the read. A recent encounter with my ' muse ' sparks and triggers the construction and posting of this piece. Awakening me again from my long Writer's Block hibernation. I think you have already figured out what I am talking about in the last stanza. Have a bless day. Appreciate you stopping by :)

[Dhaye]

I totally agree with KLG. There are minor corrections but still the poem is great. You are continuously getting better in writing, Neil. Keep it up.

[NeiL ArandA]

Thanks Dhaye for the read. :)

[Lyn Anderson]

I truly enjoy your use of words here. I am a bit puzzled by the font changes -- they don't seem to have a pattern.

Two minor (and I mean minor) corrections (confused) in first line and either "many a chauvinist" or many chauvinists would be better.

[NeiL ArandA]

Thanks KLG for reading and for the helpful hints. I made some adjustments.

[Lyn Anderson]

This finished piece IS really, really good.