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What holy rite can halt this spreading pain? What sort of ritual could ease this throbbing, sap the venom from the sun repair a broken time line patch the soul of a broken society? What ancient herb could help us sleep at night? Is there a magic drug that can endure our pain? an acronym to make a crib death less dead a therapy that can make our suffering sweet? Is there some pagan festival that can undo our mistakes and make peace with the past? What sort of revolution could give my father back his childhood my mother, her husband or my children what they needed Give an Indian his land or a slave his dignity Restore eleven million West Europeans nine million Russians twenty million Chinese nine million medieval women What bold new painting can reflect this slow despair? And if one should what could it do for anyone? What mystic tune could flow all this away? Is there some sacred poem stronger than the past and our present vanities? Stronger in its order than our instabilities Can it purge me of this rage? Can it cleanse me of these memories? What gift from the divine What Orphean tune could restore your touch to me? Is there nowhere I can turn? Is there no ancient quest stronger than inevitability?
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