1984 Prose Poem

And the clocks were striking 13.

 

 

(Page 5 of 1984 written by George Orwell: Signet Classic ed., copyright 1949.)

 

In the far distance a helicopter skimmed

down

between the roofs

hovered

for an instant…

and

darted

away

again.

It was the Police Patrol

snooping into people’s windows.

The Police Patrol did not matter, however.

Only the thought police mattered.

(Page 6 of 1984 written by George Orwell: Signet Classic edition, copyrighted 1949)

The day’s worst loss came from the crash of a U.S. Army helicopter northeast of Baghdad that killed 13 service members.

An attack Saturday night blamed on militiamen in the city of Karbala killed five soldiers. Roadside bombs killed another soldier in the capital and one in Nineveh province north of Baghdad

(By BASSEM ROUE, Associated Press Writer published Saturday, January 20, 2007 )

There was of course no way of knowing if you were being watched at any given moment.

How often

 

or on what system

the thought police plugged in on

was guesswork.

It was even conceivable that they watched everybody all the time.

It was even conceivable that they watched everybody all the time.

You.

You.

You.

You had to live-

did live,

from habit

that became instinct-

in the assumption that every sound you made was overheard

every sound you made was overheard

every sound you made was overheard

every sound you

You

You

every sound you made was overheard

and

except in darkness

every movement scrutinized.

every

movement

scrutinized.

(Page 6 of 1984 written by George Orwell: Signet Classic edition, copyrighted 1949)

The National Security Agency has been secretly collecting the phone call records of tens of millions of Americans, using data provided by AT&T, Verizon and BellSouth

The NSA program reaches into homes and businesses across the nation by amassing information about the calls of ordinary Americans — most of whom aren’t suspected of any crime. ordinary Americans- who aren’t suspected of any crime.

By Leslie Cauley, USA TODAY Updated 5/11/2006 2007 10:38 AM ET

It was just possible to read

picked out on its white face

 

the three slogans of the party

WAR IS PEACE

(Page 8 of 1984 written by George Orwell: Signet Classic Edition, copyrighted 1949)

The time for denying, deceiving, and delaying has come to an end. Saddam Hussein must disarm himself — or, for the sake of peace, we will lead a coalition to disarm him.

(From a speech made by President George W. Bush October 7, 2002)

FREEDOM IS SLAVERY

(Page 8 of 1984 written by George Orwell: Signet Classic Edition, copyrighted 1949)

Now, as before, we will secure our nation, protect our freedom, and help others to find freedom of their own.

Some worry that a change of leadership in Iraq could create instability and make the situation worse. The situation could hardly get worse, for world security and for the people of Iraq.

(From a speech made by President George W. Bush October 7, 2002)

IGNORANCE IS STRENGTH

(Page 8 of 1984 written by George Orwell: Signet Classic Edition, copyrighted 1949)

Satellite photographs reveal that Iraq is rebuilding facilities at sites that have been part of its nuclear program in the past. Iraq has attempted to purchase high-strength aluminum tubes and other equipment needed for gas centrifuges,

which are used to enrich uranium for nuclear weapons.

(From a speech made by President George W. Bush October 7, 2002)

The thing that he was about to do was not illegal

nothing was illegal since there were no longer any laws

 

but

if detected

it was reasonably certain

that it would be punished

by death

or atleast

by twenty five years in a forced labor camp.

(Page 9 of 1984 written by George Orwell. Signet Classic Edition, copyrighted 1949)

The U.S. holds about 435 detainees at Guantanamo,

some captured after the ouster of Afghanistan’s Taliban regime

following the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks.

The U.S. has refused calls from human-rights groups and the United Nations

for its closure, saying the detainees are “enemy combatants” whose internment is necessary as part of the war on terror.

By Caroline AlexanderJan. 21 2007(Bloomberg Financial Times)

Freedom

is the freedom

 

to say that two plus two equals four.

If that is granted all else follows.

(Page 69 of 1984 written by George Orwell. Signet Classic edition. Copyright 1948.)