Wednesday, June 8, 2016

The Third-Class Carriage

Great Humanity

Great humanity sails on ships as deck passengers
rides trains third-class
travels highways on foot

Great humanity goes to work at the age of eight
marries at twenty
dies at forty:
great humanity.

There is enough bread for everyone except great humanity
rice too
same with sugar
and cloth
books as well
there is enough of them for all except great humanity.

There is no shadow on the ground of great humanity
no lamps in its streets
no pane in its windows
But great humanity has its hopes
there can be no life without hope.

Nâzım Hikmet
English translation by Talât Sait Halma

Screengrab from the film Titanic. As maybe you know, third class passengers were left to drown, because there were not enough life boats.

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