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Poem

Sonja Prins

preparation

you can't prepare
for fascism
when it comes
it comes in a new disguise
that you and i
can't imagine

but never think
we're too good for it
or even
civilized
it is desperate
but the worst atrocities
reside in the power of numbers
the power of the strongest

it's easy for us women
we are not there
in that danger zone
of power and violence
against minorities
simply because we
don't have an army

but we do get carried away
often we do condone
and applaud our sons
even when they don't
act gently

that's why an awareness
of role patterns and power
relations
are a prerequisite
for standing up
for the women of the future

voorbereiding

voorbereiding

je kunt je op het fascisme
niet voorbereiden
als het komt
komt het in een nieuwe gedaante
en jij en ik
kunnen ons die niet voorstellen

maar denk nooit
wij zijn er te goed voor
of zelfs maar
beschaafd
het is wanhopig
maar de grootste gruweldaden
zitten in de macht van het aantal
de macht van de sterkste

wij vrouwen hebben makkelijk praten
wij staan zelf niet
in die gevaarlijke zone
van macht en geweld
tegen minderheden
eenvoudig omdat we 
geen leger vormen

maar we worden wel meegesleept
we zijn dikwijls wel
goedpraters
en bejubelen onze zoons
ook als ze niet
zachtzinnig optreden

daarom is bewustwording
van de rolpatronen en de macht-
verdeling
een eerste vereiste
ook als je voor toekomstige vrouwen
wil opkomen

Sonja Prins

Sonja Prins

(The Netherlands, 1912 - 2009)

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preparation

you can't prepare
for fascism
when it comes
it comes in a new disguise
that you and i
can't imagine

but never think
we're too good for it
or even
civilized
it is desperate
but the worst atrocities
reside in the power of numbers
the power of the strongest

it's easy for us women
we are not there
in that danger zone
of power and violence
against minorities
simply because we
don't have an army

but we do get carried away
often we do condone
and applaud our sons
even when they don't
act gently

that's why an awareness
of role patterns and power
relations
are a prerequisite
for standing up
for the women of the future

preparation

you can't prepare
for fascism
when it comes
it comes in a new disguise
that you and i
can't imagine

but never think
we're too good for it
or even
civilized
it is desperate
but the worst atrocities
reside in the power of numbers
the power of the strongest

it's easy for us women
we are not there
in that danger zone
of power and violence
against minorities
simply because we
don't have an army

but we do get carried away
often we do condone
and applaud our sons
even when they don't
act gently

that's why an awareness
of role patterns and power
relations
are a prerequisite
for standing up
for the women of the future

Sponsors
Gemeente Rotterdam
Nederlands Letterenfonds
Stichting Van Beuningen Peterich-fonds
Prins Bernhard cultuurfonds
Lira fonds
Versopolis
J.E. Jurriaanse
Gefinancierd door de Europese Unie
Elise Mathilde Fonds
Stichting Verzameling van Wijngaarden-Boot
Veerhuis
VDM
Partners
LantarenVenster – Verhalenhuis Belvédère