we do not forget in poetry

if it happened then it happened no matter what you say
you may force us to forget at the barrel of a well-oiled gun
you may legislate ignorance and see the truth-keepers shunned
you may salt the fields and you may boil the seas away
but if it happened then a seed of it remains
we will hold fast
we will train the next generation to
find the traces of what you all have done
in the name of cowardice and greed
in the name of hate and greed
in the name of power and greed
in the name of tradition and greed
in the name of greed and greed and green
if it happened there will be proof of it somewhere
that proof will be shoved down your throat and
stenciled on the monuments built to your false glory
if it happened then it happened and
the only question is how long will you get to pretend?