A Warning Poem by Jan Oskar Hansen

A warning

National day, every country has one, when they are allowed
to wave their flags, get drunk, and indulge in latent xenophobia
When the people (otherwise kept in the dark) are allowed
to think they are the free people, the most democratic
the beautiful people in the whole world.
These free people, full of propaganda, not seeing they are sold
down the river to the encroaching fascism in Europe
This country that wants to see a green and pleasant land
wants to eradicate petrol-driven cars and replace them
with electric-driven cars has, nevertheless, been induced to pump
more oil from fields in the North Sea by Europe's fascist regime
to fight -and as always, the Russians, leaving the small country
squeezed between great power politics.
The flag wavers are not told of the betrayal, but a few are aware
their demonstration is drowned by the day of jubilation.
The mild spring weather continues, and the sun smiles from a blue sky
for now, but if this fascism takes hold, the skies will be murky
and the air will smell of death and cordite.