pollution), most of CUC’s power plants are broken. The airport has two stand-by generators: both broken. The governor declared the Ports Authority broken and took it over (likewise with CUC) only to discover that, yup, it was broken. La Fiesta deal? Broken. Retirement Fund? Broken. Tax and Rev? Broken (can’t collect taxes, can’t mail me — and many others — stimulus check). Immigration? Broken, long time. Any system that puts a governor in office with 27 percent of the vote? What else, broken. Tourism? Broken. Business sector, especially real estate? Broken, dead broken. PSS and NMC? Brokenish. Islandwide, 24 hour, drinkable water system promised by every politician — lo these many years? Broken, lo these many years. Public Works? Broken — plenty junk cars, filthy streets, missing or damaged street signs, busted roads. Promises by our politicians? You know damn well, BROKEN. Affordable health care? Broken. Our bank accounts? Broken. The public toilet facility at Micro Beach which I regard as emblematic of our broken island? You got it: Broken and falling into the sea along with the concrete jogging path.
As Yeats, the great Irish poet puts it: “Things fall apart: the center cannot hold.”
Surely Bob Dylan had Saipan in mind when he wrote this song. Maybe we should use it as our anthem.
Broken lines, broken strings,
Broken threads, broken springs,
Broken idols, broken heads,
People sleeping in broken bed.
Ain’t no use jiving
Ain’t no use joking
Everything is broken.
Broken bottles, broken plates,
Broken switches, broken gates,
Broken dishes, broken parts,
Streets are filled with broken hearts.
Broken words never meant to be spoken,
Everything is broken.
Seem like every time you stop and turn around
Something else just hit the ground
Broken cutters, broken saws,
Broken buckles, broken laws,
Broken bodies, broken bones,
Broken voices on broken phones.
Take a deep breath, feel like you’re chokin’,
Everything is broken.
Broken cutters, broken saws,
Broken buckles, broken laws,
Broken bodies, broken bones,
Broken voices on broken phones.
Take a deep breath, feel like you’re chokin’,
Everything is broken.
Broken hands on broken ploughs,
Broken treaties, broken vows,
Broken pipes, broken tools,
People bending broken rules.
Hound dog howling, bull frog croaking,
Everything is broken.
WILLIAM R. BARRINEAU
Puerto Rico, Saipan
