From the People proceeds the power of the State: Bertolt Brecht

Article One Of The Weimar Constitution

1
From the People proceeds the power of the State.
- But where does it proceed to?
Yes, where is it proceeding to?
There’s some place it’s proceeding to.
The policeman proceeds through the station gate.
- But where does he proceed to?
etc.

2
Look, there’s the whole lot on the march.
- But where are they marching to?
Yes, where are they marching to?
There’s some place they are marching to.
They wheel through the gate and under the arch.
- But where are they wheeling to?
etc.

3
The power of the State turns right about.
Something is in the air.
- What can be in the air?
There’s something in the air.
The power of the State gives a piercing shout
And yells: Get moving there!
- But moving why and where?
It yells: Get moving there!

4
There’s something standing in a crowd
Something which queries that.
Why should it query that?
What cheek to query that!
The state just shoots - for that’s allowed -
And something falls down flat.

What was it fell down flat?
What made it fall like that?


5
The power of the State sees something spill.
Something lies in the shit.
What’s lying in the shit?
Something’s lying in the shit.
There’s something lying deadly still
- The People, why, that’s it!
Can that really be it?
Yes, that is really it.