Call and Answer

Tell me why it is we don’t lift our voices these days And cry over what is happening. Have you noticed The plans are made for Iraq and the ice cap is melting?

I say to myself: "Go on, cry. What¹s the sense Of being an adult and having no voice? Cry out! See who will answer! This is Call and Answer!"

We will have to call especially loud to reach Our angels, who are hard of hearing; they are hiding In the jugs of silence filled during our wars.

Have we agreed to so many wars that we can¹t Escape from silence? If we don’t lift our voices, we allow Others (who are ourselves) to rob the house.

How come we’ve listened to the great criers -- Neruda, Akhmatova, Thoreau, Frederick Douglass -- and now We’re silent as sparrows in the little bushes?

Some masters say our life lasts only seven days. Where are we in the week? Is it Thursday yet? Hurry, cry now! Soon Sunday night will come.
-Robert Bly

I chose this poem for this week’s assignment for many reasons. First, Bly used a different approach then the other poets. He tried to persuade the reader to speak up and use your voice to protest against the wars and violence. In the poem Bly is confused as to why no one is doing anything about all of the violence that the world has come to. The first sentence of this poem is what caught my attention: “Tell me why it is we don’t lift our voices these days and cry over what is happening.” He is confused as to why no one is speaking up or doing anything about what the world is coming to. “And now we’re silent as sparrows in the little bushes?” Bly is trying to tell the reader that if something doesn’t change fast the world will only get more violent. “If we don’t lift our voices, we allow others (who are ourselves) to rob the house.” The last verse is my favorite part of the poem. “Some masters say our life lasts only seven days. Where are we in the week? Is it Thursday yet? Hurry, cry now! Soon Sunday night will come.” It’s saying that if someone takes charge, soon the wars will be over.

In my opinion, writing has the power to enact social change. People like Robert Bly can change a lot with his writing. It may be hard to believe, but writing can change people’s lives. The famous speech by Martin Luther King JR will live on forever because it altered the lives of millions. There are many powerful speeches that changed the world. Many people are a fan of violence because they believe that it is the only way to get what you want. I disagree completely! It is proven that writing can in fact change everything!