Babies Do Not Cry Where I'm Hiding

This poem delves into the harrowing realities of war, focusing on the brutal choices civilians must make for survival.

I do not know how to defend in the warfronts
But I know how to save civilians in their hideouts
I make sure everywhere is calm and quiet
And no noise is heard from their wide mouths

Babies do not cry where I'm hiding
No, not when the soldiers are shelling
I cannot risk my siblings
When the enemy is approaching
"Jostle him, strangle him and bury him!"
Parents don't ignore, they obey me
Babies seem to know that I'm desperate
And I never hesitate to strangulate

Babies do not cry where I'm hiding
I tell the women long before we get in the bush
"An evil child will take your life along him
If you do not do what is good.
Throw him away and stay free
Or sit and watch him kill you."
They know it's the rule of thumb
Better to kill one than kill a bunch

I am actually a good soldier
I defend people by killing people
I ensure safety of the civilians hiding with me
Even when it means to kill off all their babies
Babies do not cry where I'm hiding
I tell the women long before we get in the bush.

©Godwin Isiwu

Author's Note

focus and do the things you can do very well and be proud of them, as much as you ignore and disdain the things others do which you cannot do very well. The writer of this poem, though incompetent for not being able to fight like his fellow men in the battlefield, is still very confident that at least he could hide and also ensure that anyone hiding with him is safe. He does this by making sure there’s absolute silence even when it meant to strangulate babies who cried. An action that is supposed to make him more infamous. This poem teaches that one should be confident in whatever one does: just as confident as the writer is, himself. Again, the way one visualizes himself is the way those around will visualize him: the poem always pointed that the women know already who the writer is, so they don’t complain when he kills their babies. Even though what he does should be shameful, his confidence and belief in himself makes them believe in him and readily follow him into the bush to hide. And now even when he is too weak to defend in war fronts where he could fight his fellow grown men yet strong enough to strangulate little children, he can brag about being able to ensure safety of civilians in their hiding places —something the solders on the front lines could not do.

Reviews

[Dradefx]

This poem is chilling and deeply unsettling, yet it powerfully conveys the brutal realities of war. The stark contrast between the speaker’s perception of themselves as a protector and the horrifying actions they take creates a disturbing moral paradox. The repetition of “Babies do not cry where I’m hiding” reinforces the harrowing choices forced upon civilians in life-or-death situations.

The poem’s raw, unflinching tone captures the ethical dilemmas faced in war—where survival sometimes demands inhumane decisions. It challenges the reader to confront the horrors of conflict without romanticizing heroism. The structured yet hauntingly repetitive nature of the verses intensifies the weight of the speaker’s justification, making the piece unforgettable.

This is a thought-provoking and brutally honest reflection on the cost of war and the way it distorts morality.

[Tayo]

Writing is not just about putting an ink on a clean sheet but being able to comprehend others thought even without knowing them. And I must say that is what you just did.

No matter how little your potential is like the writer you can make an impact which massive potential can't(the soldiers).
I'm really amazed by this(I make sure everywhere is quiet) putting your potential at work!!!

[BENSMIKE]

One who has witnessed or heard direct witnessed stories about war, riot, or other forms of bloody invasion will understand even more the dept of information the writer is letting out to the people. Indeed everyone can not be the same in what we do or in our approach to matters/ situations but the writer of this poem has caused me to understand that irrespective of where or how a service is rendered it only matters that lives should be saved. Better to loose one than All for the continuity of life and culture.

[Dheeraj]

The two lines do feel a bit unsynchronized. The first line "make sure everywhere is calm and quiet" sets a serene and peaceful atmosphere, but the second line "And no noise is heard from their wide mouths" introduces a somewhat ominous or even surreal image.
The phrase "wide mouths" creates a vivid and unusual picture, which disrupts the calm atmosphere established in the first line. To improve synchronization, you could rephrase the second line to maintain the peaceful tone, such as:
"Make sure everywhere is calm and quiet
And the silence is undisturbed."
Or:
"Make sure everywhere is calm and quiet
And the stillness is deep."
These revised lines maintain the serene atmosphere and create a more cohesive feel.
Courtesy: Meta AI