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The Danger Lies Within Us…

This poem serves as a stark warning about the crisis of democracy and the rise of authoritarianism.

It begins with the words of Abraham Lincoln during the American Civil War: “The danger is from within us.”

From this point, the poem explores the fragility of modern democratic systems and how societies collapse from within rather than from external enemies.

It questions how indifference and conformity among ordinary people can lead to destruction and war, ultimately culminating in a fundamental moral outcry: “Do not kill!”

 

The Danger Lies Within Us…

 

During the American Civil War,

28-year-old Abraham Lincoln sounded a warning:

“The danger is from within us.”

 

According to a report by the Swedish research institute V-Dem,

there were 89 democratic countries in 2021,

while authoritarian states such as China and Russia numbered 90, nearly equal.

Yet those states account for 70% of the world’s population.

 

Arrogant leaders strut about, brandishing nuclear threats.

They multiply hostility at home and abroad, creating endless loops of hatred.

Those who oppose them are relentlessly denounced and eradicated.

Schools openly become places of ideological indoctrination and military training for future soldiers.

Human rights and democratic systems are trampled, and repression becomes routine.

 

They claim to protect the nation while feeding their greed and lust for power.

Authoritarianism transforms into a rigid class society, enslaving the poor.

They provoke wars without hesitation and call it defense.

The bodies of fallen soldiers are left in the mud of occupied lands.

Rule by fear is strengthened, and information is tightly controlled.

Chains of hatred and resentment forge a new history for humankind.

 

Even the concept of peace disappears.

By sustaining hostility, absolute power and nuclear force are maintained.

Human dignity is crushed like worthless debris.

People tremble in fear of war and starvation.

As harsh winter arrives, they face the threat of freezing to death.

 

Loyalty to the state is tested, and obedience is enforced.

People are forced to remain silent like clams, enduring in submission.

Those who resist are judged as traitors and sentenced to death.

 

Will the earth become a battlefield of endless destruction and ruin?

Japan’s diplomacy, framed as that of a great power, is precarious.

The signs of such danger exist within us here in Japan as well.

We can only hope that these near-future predictions prove wrong.

Is shouting all that remains for us now?

 

“Do not kill!”

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