To Say That The Man Is Harmless Poem by RIC BASTASA

to say that the man is harmless we dig
stories about his past,
first, how was he educated, and you find
out that he finished college with honors
in a Presbyterian university somewhere
in the most peaceful island of the
archipelago
second, you find out that he is a prayerful man
goes to church on Sundays
makes the sign of the cross
and takes the regular communion,
third, you also take refuge that he has
a family of his own
raised his kids in a way that
they all live a life in peace
and harmony with all the other
children,
finally, you keep track of his services
how he serves the poor
and the underprivileged
the marginalized sector
of our community

the last story that you know is that
the military arrested the good doctor
who was there in that mountain
of the poor people
curing the sick and
giving them medicine

now, he is dubbed as the communist
and the rest of the nation
is silent.