Athos Athanasiou was moved to write a poem about Libya and British arms firms’ dealings with Gaddafi. You can read more of his poetry on his blog.
On Libya
Oh just look! The papers say,
David Cameron leads the way,
in heading to the Middle East
to try and quell that fearsome beast.
But
what is it he’s actually doing?
Who on earth could he be wooing?
And what ends is he pursuing?
While the fighting still is brewing?
Off he trots to pave the way
for the weapons men who pay,
to have their arms contracts renewed.
They are nothing if not shrewd.
So what message is he showing?
While atrocities are growing,
and a bloody wind is blowing,
and the people’s blood is flowing,
dying from the tanks and bombers
as the arms trade pursues commerce.
For these choppers and these guns
are brought in from other lands.
British arms firms had their hand in
planes, that soldiers d’rather land in
other realms, than bomb those standing
in the squares for change demanding.
Not forgetting France and Russia,
and the others who sell Libya
all the weapons that it needs
to kill its people in the streets.
Now the Colonel has grown madder,
and the genocide grows sadder.
Paths to peace are looking harder.
Their’s the bloodiest intifada.
But the arms firms have no let up
in protecting contracts set up
when dictators ruled the day.
Turning blind eyes once they pay.
I just hope the tide is turning,
and the city soon stops burning.
But Gaddafi isnt learning.
Freedom is what they are yearning.
