The Bounders

I ask myself,
do ethnic groups create ethnic conflict?
Or does the guilt fall on the bounders?
A bounder drew and redrew a line,
leaving non-magyar within,
leaving Magyar without
in the lands of other proud peoples.
As easily as one line makes a majority
it as readily makes a minority.
Boundary gives protected space to the fearful,
powerful space to the oppressor,
vulnerable space to the oppressed.
Boundary begs one group to accept as equals
those who are different,
and begs the different ones to be less different
among those who are more than equal.
I thought this among the traces of so many people
in the streets and museums of Hungary.

The Bounders

Bob Komives

Fort Collins © 2007 :: The Bounders :: ,0x36