The Property Man
A poem by Anise©Anna Louise Strong 1918
| In the Chinese theater • • • They have a person • • • Called the PROPERTY MAN, • • • Who stays on the stage • • • ALL the time • • • He hangs up the SUN • • • When it is NEEDED • • • Or he puts up the MOON • • • For a night scene • • • Between lovers • • • He furnishes chairs • • • And tables and ladders • • • Whenever the characters • • • WANT them • • • He is always the SAME • • • Whatever the TIME • • • Or PERIOD • • • Or COSTUMING of the play, • • • He trots around • • • In the same clothes • • • With the same smile • • • Of superior cynisism, • • • Knowing • • • That all the times and changes |
And all the high sounding • • • ORATORY • • • Is only ILLUSION • • • Played around objects that he • • • PUTS UP • • • Or PULLS DOWN • • • The Chinese audience • • • Considers him INVISIBLE • • • And have trained themselves • • • NOT to observe him • • • For so LONG • • • That most of them now • • • Don't even SEE him • • • Ther are folks who say • • • That we have such a creature • • • STALKING in our MIDST • • • And that all our world • • • Is just a STAGE • • • And when • • • Our POLITICIANS • • • Make great GESTURES • • • Or indulge in splendid • • • CONTROVERSIES, • • • Or when our noble judges |
Punish the guilty • • • And set free the oppressed, • • • As always happens in • • • The best of plays, • • • They say it is an ILLUSION • • • And that the REAL OBJECTS • • • Are PUT UP • • • Or PULLED DOWN • • • By an invisible creature • • • Whose acts condition • • • All ACTORS • • • Who is himself the SAME • • • In all ages • • • Smiling the same smile • • • Of superior cynicism • • • At the virtuous platitudes • • • That cover HIS activities • • • Some folks have called him • • • The "Invisible government," • • • But I think • • • The Chinese gave him • • • A simpler, truer name • • • When they called him • • • The "PROPERTY MAN"! |
