Eight Ways of Looking at a Drone Strike

Jonas Persson
Aug 24, 2017 · 1 min read

With apologies to Wallace Stevens.

I.
Among twenty snowy mountains
The only moving thing
Was the drone piloted from afar.

II.
I was of three minds,
Like a voting booth
In which there are two ballots.

III.
The drone cruised on the autumn winds.
It was a small part of the pantomime.

IV.
A Republican and a Democrat.
Are one.
A Republican and a Democrat and a Predator Drone
Are one.

V.
I do not know which to fear
The terrors of President Trump
Or the militarism of neoliberals
The drone killing
Or just after.

VI.
A bird’s-eye view on the monitor
A bomb “crashed” the wedding
The shadow of the drone
Crossed it, to and fro
The route
Traced on the radar
The word Realpolitik.

VII.
Oh thin men of Bayda
Why do you imagine golden birds
Do you not see how the drone
Glides above the heads
Of the people about you.

VIII.
I know noble declarations
“The world safe for democracy”
But I know too
That the drone strike is involved
In what I know.

)
Jonas Persson

Written by

Gadget-loving Luddite. Rabbit-hole tumbler. Schlemiel. Law student. Poetry, privacy, politics.

Welcome to a place where words matter. On Medium, smart voices and original ideas take center stage - with no ads in sight. Watch
Follow all the topics you care about, and we’ll deliver the best stories for you to your homepage and inbox. Explore
Get unlimited access to the best stories on Medium — and support writers while you’re at it. Just $5/month. Upgrade