The Burden of Being Bamar

We found this poem by Ko Ko Thett, and his musical metaphors connecting his country’s lack of democracy, to be particularly meaningful in an interview with a Burmese rap artist. Following is the transcript of this powerful prose.

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the burden of being bama

by ko ko thett

taken from his book The Burden of Being Burmese

it’s living on

sawdust and shrimp paste

to save for diamonds

it’s being a lustrous luna

in a bamboo tube

thinking “how dainty i am!”

it’s being a haystack fire

flaring suddenly

fading our swiftly

it’s aching for the aunt

from the embrace of the mother

what’s your key

majority in minor-c or minority in major-d

ceasefire in flat-b or cease-identity in sharp-g

give me a falsetto

let’s improvise

no need for harmony

what would you choose

want, rage or ignorance

defeatism or maldevelopment

an increase in viral load or a decrease in internet speed

sexual preoccupation or self-denial

power cuts or power crazes

a bag of rice or an ounce of democracy

myopic blitheness, escapist wizardry and alchemy

syncretization of incompatibilities

internalization of irreconcilabilities

the four noble truths

the four oaths………

…………………………………..

………………….

the menu is endless

the die’s been cast

your karma is you

life short

suffering tall

plenty of water

no fish, no fish at all

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