Us and Them

Just hearing about the police excesses
The vardi-vale goonde-log
Makes me boil inside
Makes me want to retaliate violently

Could I have such feelings inside?
I ask myself
And if I could,
Then surely those in the thick of the battle
Are justified in having them

Surely then, it is remarkable
That by and large
The protests have been peaceful
The young have been firm but restrained

It must be that they have
Harnessed their soul force
To better ends
Than I, sitting here
Fulminating
Thinking poisonous thoughts
Of vicarious revenge