Helping Burma is a
Matter of the Heart
- by Jeffrey Karl Hellman

In tears I write these words,
In tears my words will start,
I heard a voice for human rights,
Helping Burma is a matter of the heart.

For years the people of Burma,
have been tortured by a disease,
A tumor, a cancer, malicious, Metastasis,
Bear with me if you please.

See cancer can start in one place,
then spread very very fast,
till the body of freedom’s
heart will beat for a very last.

With Metta Sutta we can fight this pain,
With loving kindness and peace,
but it’s increasingly difficult when
you start to study the disease.

SPDC in Burma,
A brutal military regime,
can take the life of anyone,
General Than Shwe is much worse than mean.

Ignorant, stubborn man,
a man that issues a license to rape,
He destroys the peace in Burma,
and evidence by videotape.

Take to the jungles of Burma,
where millions are all on the run,
Being chased after by the Junta,
is anything but fun.

Harass the mass,
take villages by fire!
For Senior General Than Shwe,
this cancer is his empire.

70,000 child soldiers in Burma,
what a nice future this will be,
all because a man imprisoned a woman
who beat him in democracy.

Now the dictator’s year is set,
I read it in the news,
2009 will be his “victory,”
for 50 million people, the blues.

He likes the number 11,
so we’re all in for a treat,
the stars are telling Than Shwe to attack the innocent,
to the borders they have to retreat.

Goodbye to the homes they lived in,
the structure of a happy life,
some stubborn army general,
causes millions to live in strife.

Imagine the way the world would have been,
if peace were to end the war,
but peace in Burma is incarcerated,
now the country is worse than poor.

An AIDS epidemic reins through the land,
killing thousands every year,
while Malaria prevails to those in the jungles,
A Nation filled with fear.

We wait and wait for change in Burma,
but all that has is the name,
the mere sound of Myanmar,
puts democracy to shame.

In 1989 Aung San Suu Kyi was imprisoned,
for speaking the words of liberty,
shame on you Than Shwe,
for your hopeless hypocrisy.

Enough of politics,
enough with the war,
I’m tired of fighting for freedom,
human rights should not be a chore.

Instead I’ll tell you a story,
about how Burma filled my heart,
and why this poem
began with tears from the very start.

In the hallways of perception,
In the hallways of my school,
I met a facilities attendant from Burma,
who educated me about his country under military rule.

He starved himself outside the United Nations,
each day, equaling each year,
that his country has been up-ducted,
by terrorists who role by fear,

He lead an inspirational peace walk,
four years in a row,
the last year with Cancer,
what a noble way to go.

So now embrace me friends,
as I riddle about the day,
the Saffron Revolution’s one year anniversary,
Burmese Freedom Fighter, U Han Lin, passed away.

Peace walks went on that day,
as tears from the sky fell like rain,
so free the Children of Burma,
like a liberated peace train.

Demand the cancerous tyrants,
to be removed from political power,
or the military children will spread under Than Shwe,
Now it’s time for international Chemo power.

The malicious cells are multiplying fast,
and soon they’ll strike again,
we can not wait for another cyclone,
international intervention must fall like rain.

Education for the children,
Nurture them with loving care,
Provide health aid for the weak,
This is the message to share.

Spread the peace and free Daw Aung San Suu Kyi,
soon she will be 64,
twenty years are enough for miseducation,
when first arrested, she was 44.

Americans were given a chance at changing our government,
democracy reigned down like a storm,
now, it’s time for Burma,
hearts should be getting warm.

So please remember my teacher’s lessons,
as I explained to you from the start,
and with an act of courage,
Help Burma with all your heart.

© Jeffrey Karl Hellman