Divide, Conquer; Distinguish, Murder

This is the poem that I wrote cold after the Bangladesh-India-Pakistan presentation. The part that I wrote cold is in the third stanza of the poem, while I wrote the other three stanzas later on. 

Here’s a link to our cultural seminar:

https://docs.google.com/presentation/d/1MDak596D5IZtx02Y30F1CequHYNt7Sl8HFHBPQJOeMA/edit?usp=sharing

This is the link to the poem that I’ll be responding to:

http://www.poetrytranslation.org/poems/lets-unite

 

Image result for divide and conquer humanity

Divide, Conquer; Distinguish, Murder

 

Divide

In a bundle of sticks, logic can be employed to differentiate between the sticks:

there are some that are lighter,

some that are scarred, some that are short, some that

appear to be perfect, some that you believe you’d be better off without.

In the end, they’re just a bundle of sticks.

Even under your judgemental eye.

Your qualitative observations-

regardless of the differences they present- will never

identify these sticks as anything but such. To the unbiased observer, your bundle

of sticks will all appear to be the same. In this state,

the sticks refuse to bend to your will, regardless of your

most strenuous efforts to muster your hate.

Frustrated at the defeat you suffered,

you separated them individually on the basis of your own observations.

Now, the differences are apparent: you’ve divided them with your logic.

Are they any different than when they seemed the same?

No, they are not.

By dividing them, you’ve only separated them;

you failed to change their collective identity.

They are still all sticks.

 

 

Conquer

Having succeeded in separating the sticks with your logic,

you find it much easier to lay waste to the individual sticks.

No longer are they too sturdy, reinforced by one another,

against your meticulous discerning hand.

Your logic has broken the sticks when your hands could not.

You have conquered the sticks.

 

Distinguish  

In a crowd of people, logic can be employed to differentiate between the people:

there are some that are lighter,

some that are scarred, some that are short, some that

appear to be perfect, some that you believe you’d be better off without.

In the end, they’re just a group of people.

To the unbiased observer, the people

will all appear to be the same. In this state,

the people refuse to bend to your will, regardless of your

most strenuous efforts to muster your hate.

Frustrated at the defeat you suffered,

you separated them individually on the basis of your own observations.

Now, the differences are apparent: you’ve divided them with your logic.

Are they any different than when they seemed the same?

Under your judgemental eye, they are.

You’ve picked apart singular qualities and magnified them,

in order to showcase these “freaks” to the “normals”,

the ones who you identify. Why is it always that the ones you identify with are “normal”?

You haven’t just divided the minority, merely separating them with a physical boundary;

you’ve distinguished them and changed their identity; they are no longer people.

 

 

Murder

You’ve divided the people with your logic;

they’re now at your mercy.

No longer are they unified, strewn together by their diversity;

your logic has destroyed the minorities where your anger could not.

They are no longer people.

You have murdered them.

Image result for divide and conquer humanity

In this poem, I wanted to try to compare the separating of people with the snapping of sticks: it’s much, much harder to snap the sticks when you try to break them in a bundle, while it’s almost effortless in comparison when you try to break the sticks individually. The absurdity of separating the sticks by any physical characteristic was meant to later serve as a source of comparison with the idea of separating human by physical characteristics: the idea to separate the sticks by any physical characteristic seemed like an unnatural (even ridiculous) thing to do. You could just as easily arbitrarily pick a single stick from the bundle, but trying to define each individual stick with a single aspect of its physical structure is pointless.

I wanted this message to be symbolic of humans as well: humans are harder to control in a group, so you’re forced to try to individually manipulate each person. Together, the people won’t become victims of your manipulation, but individually, they will. Similar to the bundle of sticks.

The point of the comparison between the sticks and humans was to try to highlight the pointlessness in differentiating people by physical characteristics. Sure, you could identify someone with a physical character, but you can’t define them with it. By having          “Distinguish” paired with “Murder”, I hoped to express that the moment an individual is distinguished by any particular trait of theirs is a murder of their identity as a person. When The title is meant to highlight the aforementioned overarching theme, as the semicolon signifies that the two divided parts are both independent of one another, yet they are connected. The connection is meant to highlight my belief that the common saying  Divide and Conquer has regressed to become Distinguish and Murder. 

 

Citations:

http://www.lovolution.net/MainPages/essays/FullerEssay/fuller.htm

 

http://americaworldwar2.com/ww2exhibits/divide-and-conquer-1942/

 

 

 

 

 

 

Print Friendly, PDF & Email

One thought on “Divide, Conquer; Distinguish, Murder

  1. Rehman,

    This piece is beautiful in itself especially when you take into account it has been written based off inspirations from your wonderful culture seminar, and how its voice is so uniquely yours. Your analogy of sticks in a bundle and and the power of humans when we work in groups is one I’ve never heard before, but also one that will ring throughout my mind whenever I take a walk in nature. From this short yet immensely impactful poem you have changed the workings of my mind.

    Your writing was easily able to strike my own emotions by using the second person perspective. I didn’t read in the perspective of another person nor the perspective of an unknown watcher; instead, it was as if you were talking directly to me, wanting me specifically to be aware of my thoughts. As I’ve stated before, you’ve successfully accomplished this and I think this is what has made your poem so revolutionary.

    The major thought I’ve had after reading this poem is how our judgements divide us. Rather than working together in order to become better and stronger, humans tend to pick each other apart in order to choose the ones in which “deserve” to be acknowledged and stay. This is very much like your idea of defining each stick with its own physical structure. In result humans may feel as they are stronger, but in reality, are just increasingly breakable as the less sticks you have, the less reinforcement of the bundle which protects each other from damage. It kind of reminds me of the AP LA class in a way – how we all notice the best in each other and instead of picking apart or segregating anyone, we become one in our ideas and our struggles.

    I think that is what makes our class so successful. We’re a bundle of sticks!

    I’m so thankful to have been in your class the past two years and to have learned from your insight. I look forward to seeing you at any times in the future and seeing you grow in your success!

    – Elissa

Leave a Reply to elissabw Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *