Made in Denmark

Post No 2

To those who think it is OK to publish those dreadful cartoons but get
terribly upset when hurt Muslims burn the Danish flag around the world, I wrote two short poems.
Here is the first one.

*****

For decades I have travelled extensively
Without any real problems fortunately.
And being Danish used to help me a lot,
The friendly reception and assistance I got
Was amazing and touching and sometimes such
That I felt it was almost a little too much.

The trouble people went to was not deserved
That kind of treatment should be reserved
For more important visitors than me,
But obviously many did not quite see.
It the same way as I did, so carried on
Leaving me feeling guilty that so much was done.

I always told people wherever I went
Sightseeing or climbing or pitching my tent
Assuming that the locals could understand
That coming from a small unimportant land

Had certain advantages because it is not
Big enough to be a threat to anyone, so has got
To behave in a friendly and forthcoming way
To everyone else, come what may.

That was the situation until recently -
But look again - how wrong can you be!
Too insignificant to upset anyone?
Sweet little Denmark - now what you have done!

First it joined the Coalition of the Killing,
The PM able and more than willing
To make Denmark participate in two illegal wars
Of aggression without any justifiable cause.

First against Afghanistan and then Iraq
Both of those ventures based on a pack
Of lies and fabrications as we now all know,
As if not bad enough, the highlight of the show:

Those dreadful drawings of the prophet of Islam
Causing violent protests and serious harm
To the interests of little Denmark right across
The Islamic world, resulting in a loss
Of goodwill, prestige, business and trade -
The biggest blunders recently made!

Right from Morocco and Nigeria
To occupied Palestine and Arabia
Iran, Afghanistan and Syria
All the way to Pakistan and Indonesia.

Denmarksuddenly on everybody's lips
Instant notoriety which erupts and grips
Hundreds of million Muslims world-wide.
No Scandinavian-looking person can hide

From the angry masses crowding the streets
No use here throwing handfuls of sweets
For Danish flags are set alight
Some embassies experience a fight.

Still, like a brain-dead parrot might screech
The PM keeps repeating: "Freedom of speech!
We have Freedom of Expression - how about you?
Nothing to do with me! Nothing I can do!"
Which was neither statesman-like nor was it true!

Decent people had worked so long
And tirelessly to build the strong
Reputation that Denmark enjoyed,
Overnight it was destroyed
Crashing down around their ears,
Every one reduced to tears.

The world still turns and life goes on
But the total effects of the damage done
Cannot be measured so easily
And certainly not just financially,

It will take a long time to improve
And Denmark should make the first move,
All in all there must be better ways
To add that extra little spark
To the slogan Made in Denmark