a tale of tails, tenacity, and tedium, as told by me, usually barefoot and bellowing

Wednesday, August 6, 2014

War

Is never pretty.
We tend to paint pictures
Where the Good
The Bad are labeled.
Yet neither speak.

Ike was a hero
To some
But I was told
He was crazy
The man who led
The allies to victory
With overwhelming costs
Was a crazy man

Who are we to judge
Actions that are past
We did not wear
Their uniforms nor their shoes
We did not lay in foxholes
And hear the screams

We rally
Scream "No War!"
In violent voices
And mistakenly think
Our violence begets peace

We cannot think
We know the answers
The solutions
In every instance of violence
There is a choice
We do not know
The heavy weight of choice
Until we alone must choose

I sing "Peace"
And
Soulfully
Hope
I
Never
Have
To
Choose

Sometimes there are reasons to war.

Poets United

22 comments:

Susan said...

Truths stack up in your poem to the inevitable conclusion and the wish never to have to be the one to choose. I have never been in that position either. Would I be able to make a different choice? I hope so and more, I hope a president, generals, all, will have the choice to make peace instead of falling into the pattern of history.

MadSnapper said...

i am with you on not being the one to choose but someone has to.. and that has to be a really hard thing to do.. if not for War we would be a part of the UK if not for War we would be states divided and standing alone If not for war Hitler might still be killing or at least his descendants. war has been here since the world began and will be until the world ends. there will never be peace... even kindegarten childrne war, congress wars, wifes and husbands war... all the choice makers can do is try to do their best... mankind can not get along with each other. if not for war we would still have slaves in America...

Sumana Roy said...

may all the atrocities stop...very well said..

Salem Lorot said...

"I sing "Peace"
And
Soulfully
Hope
I
Never
Have
To
Choose"

Interesting perspective. Thought-provoking.

Sherry Blue Sky said...

Powerful - "we do not know the heavy weight of choice until we alone must choose" and "mistakenly think our violence begets peace". Thought-provoking poem for certain. And so well done.

Jae Rose said...

Yes I too love the 'I sing peace' verse...let's hope we never have to choose either...a very strong poem

Audrey Howitt aka Divalounger said...

This is a hard place to be--the making of this decision. I too, would want to sing peace and hope I would never have to choose,

Michaele said...

I like how you echo non judgement throughout. And your words ring true.

alan1704 said...

That choice is too life changing and overpowering, i can taste the way you make hope choose the right path. Well done.

Unknown said...

i do hope no one ever has to choose- that would be true peace... war has no reasons except the ones tht are made up to fool us!! its true we should learn from the past but truly we dont know what they went through.... the ghastly times they lived through!!

Linda Kay said...

Thanks for sharing your thoughts and your poem....

Liza said...

There is a lot of depth here.

Nicholas said...

I loved your poem to the core. I was nodding to its every word with relation. We can only dream of world peace but will never find an absolution. Good job!

Optimistic Existentialist said...

Gail this is one of the most thought-provoking poems I've ever read in all my time blogging...

Susan Kane said...

Many profound truths from your poem leap out. No glamour to be found in war.

I am proud and humbled by the young men and women who are in the military. They go forward, trusting and willing.

Elizabeth Mueller said...

Beautiful! I don't like war, but sometimes, sometimes it is something that must be done... :(

♥.•*¨Elizabeth¨*•.♥

LilliStJohn said...

When "War" is about greed and taking what is not yours, its time to hang up your "Person's with greedy intentions" boots and put someone else in charge. When war becomes the words of one person's lips, one person who holds life and death in their hands, then that person should be challenged and asked why. What background schemes are making others rich because "one" person rang the war bell? Who has the right to do this, and most importantly, who lies to a Nation or Country so they can enrich their own bank accounts? 'Nough said. I do not believe in war and NO, "sometimes, sometimes" it is not reason enough, with the declaration hidden behind lies and deceit of the people.

Unknown said...

We are fortunate to not know what the end of the war was like or the choices that were needed.
I was reading about Germany and the number of lives they calculated were saved as a result of the Dresden bombing.

Susan Anderson said...

My thoughts exactly. You really nailed a complex topic here.

=)

Gen Giggles said...

I agree, having to choose would be the hardest part.

Lynne said...

Brilliant, thought provoking poem . . .

21 Wits said...

Excellent, inspiring and heartfelt.

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