The Second Sin of the East

Six manual workers,
well chosen strong men,
all day long were digging a ditch
for a scene in a film
dedicated to the new man –
the labourer of the socialist reality.
They were digging a trench
which, supposedly, was to be dug
by one man, the film hero, for one day,
the main character in the moralist documentaries.
He came once the job was done,
the pampered artist, like a newly bought puppet,
heaved a few shovels of soil,
sighed deeply, wiped the drops of water,
sprinkled on his face as if salty sweat,
and with a happy smile leapt out of the trench.
The scene was finished. Applause for the good act.
Though they knew it was all fake, that it was art,
the six strong men, reduced to a weakling,
watched unbelieving the comedy before them
feeling humiliated to the marrow of their bones.
They left with sour smiles
as if sensing that
the deception of one man
could not deceive all of humanity.