POEM On this day that we were born,
we stand upon the precipice,
not even united, now torn,
poised at the edge of the abyss.

We should be Malaysians all,
not Borneo, Malaya, Bangsa Johor,
busy with who helped form or join what,
as we are by the nose willingly led.

And the noose, as they say,
tightens around our necks,
as freedoms steadily constrict,
and the economy tightens our belts.

We argue over what language,
to teach our children for science,
when both mother and foreign tongues,
they can't intelligibly converse in.

We argue over what was,
though not shy to let history die,
as we forget one by one,
truths inconvenient to us.

We stand upon a tip-toe,
on this day and any other,
hand over heart swear allegiance,
then casually ask for independence.

We are not alone, though not together,
what this was is not much bother,
as we point fingers on who to blame,
when it is us who fan the flame.

What is worse is our indifference,
we want it all, yet will give none,
change we want but not become,
too afraid to stand tall, we succumb.

And in the end what will we see,
and in the end what will we be,
not the picture perfect tense,
but a makeshift staged tragedy.

Until we learn to lift us up,
until we learn to shrug off tyranny,
until we learn to forgive ourselves,
until we learn that love means you and me.

And when today becomes that day,
of unconditional love and shared equality,
the joys and happiness that can be,
when our compass' true north is unity.

HAZLAN ZAKARIA is a member of Team Malaysiakini.