Pablo Neruda's poem : The Standard Oil Company

This poem(originally in Spanish, "La Standard Oil Co") was written by Pablo Neruda who is known as the poet of 'enslaved humanity' in 1940 as part of a collection Canto General. The poem describes sarcastically the plunder of the natural resources of Latin America by the American firms. Even after 70 years since it was written, it is so relevant in today's world.


When the drill bored down
toward the stony fissures
and plunged its implacable intestine
into the subterranean estates,
and dead years, eyes
of the ages, imprisoned
plants’ roots
and scaly systems
became strata of water,
fire shot up through the tubes
transformed into cold liquid,
in the customs house of the heights,
issuing from its world of sinister depth,
it encountered a pale engineer
and a title deed.

However entangled the petroleum’s
arteries may be, however the layers
may change their silent site
and move their sovereignty
amid the earth’s bowels,
when the fountain gushes
its paraffin foliage,
Standard Oil arrived beforehand
with its checks and its guns,
with its governments and its prisoners.

Their obese emperors
from New York are suave
smiling assassins
who buy silk, nylon, cigars,
petty tyrants and dictators.

They buy countries, people, seas,
police, county councils,
distant regions where
the poor hoard their corn
like misers their gold:
Standard Oil awakens them,
clothes them in uniforms, designates
which brother is the enemy.
The Paraguayan fights its war,
And the Bolivian wastes away
in the jungle with its machine gun.

A President assassinated
for a drop of petroleum,
a million-acre
mortgage, a swift
execution on a morning
mortal with light, petrified,
a new prison camp for
subversives, in Patagonia,
a betrayal, scattered shots
beneath a petroliferous moon,
a subtle change of ministers
in the capital, a whisper
like an oil tide,
and zap, you’ll see
how Standard Oil’s letters
shine above the clouds,
above the seas, in your home,
illuminating their dominions.

फ़ैज़ की नज़्म: हम देखेंगे

पाकिस्तान की मशहूर गायिका इक़बाल बानो ने १९८५ में ज़िया-उल-हक़ की सैनिक तानाशाही द्वारा फैज़ की नज़्मों पर लगाये गए प्रतिबन्ध के बावजूद बहुचर्चित नज़्म 'हम देखेंगे' गाया जिसको सुनने के लिए लगभग ५०,००० लोग इकठ्ठा हुए. 

हम देखेंगे लाज़िम है के हम भी देखेंगे वो दिन कि जिसका वादा है जो लौहे-अज़ल पे लिखा है जब ज़ुल्मों-सितम के कोहे-गरां रूई की तरह उड़ जाएंगे हम महकूमों के पांव तले ये धरती धड़-धड़ धड़केगी और अहले-हिकम के सर ऊपर जब बिजली कड़-कड़ कड़केगी जब अर्ज़े-खुदा के काबे से सब बुत उठवाए जाएंगे हम अहले-सफा मर्दूदे-हरम मसनद पे बिठाए जाएंगे सब ताज उछाले जाएंगे सब तख्त गिराए जाएंगे बस नाम रहेगा अल्लाह का जो गायब भी है, हाज़िर भी जो मंज़र भी है, नाज़िर भी उठ्ठेगा अनलहक़(*) का नारा जो मैं भी हूं और तुम भी हो और राज़ करेगी खल्क़े-खुदा जो मैं भी हूं और तुम भी हो .

We shall Witness It is certain that we too, shall witness the day that has been promised of which has been written on the slate of eternity When the enormous mountains of tyranny will blow away like cotton. Under our feet- the feet of the oppressed- when the earth will pulsate deafeningly and on the heads of our rulers when lightning will strike. From the abode of God When icons of falsehood will be taken out, When we, the righteous ones, the heretics will be seated on high cushions When the crowns will be tossed, When the thrones will be brought down. Only The name will survive Who is invisible but is also present Who is both the spectacle and the beholder 'I am the Truth'- the cry will rise, Which is I, as well as you And then God’s creation(people) will rule Which is I, as well as you

अनलहक़ - 'मैं सत्य हूँ' , 'मैं ईश्वर हूँ'; ऐसा कहने पर इरानी सूफ़ी संत मंसूर को सरे आम सज़ा-ए-मौत दी गयी थी.