Ancient History by Jamie McKendrick

The year began with baleful auguries:
comets, eclipses, tremors, forest fires, 
the waves lethargic under a coat of pitch 
the length of the coastline. And a cow spoke, 
which happened last year too, although last year 
no one believed cows spoke. Worse was to come. 
There was a bloody rain of lumps of meat 
which flocks of gulls snatched in mid-air 
while what they missed fell to the ground 
where it lay for days without festering. 
Then a wind tore up a forest of holm-oaks 
and jackdaws pecked the eyes from sheep. 
Officials construing the Sibylline Books 
told of helmeted aliens occupying 
the cross-roads, and high places of the city. 
Blood might be shed. Avoid, they warned, 
factions and in-fights. The tribunes claimed 
this was the usual con-trick 
trumped up to stonewall the new law 
about to be passed. Violence was only curbed 
by belief in a rumour that the tribes 
to the east had joined forces and forged 
weapons deadlier than the world has seen 
and that even then the hooves of their scouts 
had been heard in the southern hills. 
The year ended fraught with the fear of war. 
Next year began with baleful auguries. 

from The Utility of Terrorism, Considered with Respect to the Usage Made of It By Gianfranco Sanguinetti

Thanks to terrorism, the State and its political beneficiaries can, as if by magic, become “good” because – after sacrificing a small portion of the population – they can bravely, proudly and virtuously set themselves up as the protectors of the remaining people. Thus terrorism becomes the long-sought-after Philosopher’s Stone, something capable of sanctifying power, edifying politicians and whitewashing the Mafioso “protection” of their subjects, which is what all States hope to obtain.

http://www.notbored.org/utility.pdf