Us and Them

It was a tiny town, just a few neighbours. They gave us machines to produce ten times more, but we wouldn't use them. So they threatened to kill us, but we didn't cut and run. Even if we had ships and wagons, there was nowhere to go. Even if we had armour and weapons, that was no way to resist. Then they made us pay taxes, but they took it all for themselves.

Our food was delicious, our clothes were beautiful, our homes were peaceful, our ways were friendly. Neighbouring towns within sight of each other, our chickens and dogs could hear one another. Neighbours died of old age and weren't cruel or kind to each other.