The Cowboys Got Machine Guns

part political commentary, part social commentary, part just enjoying words

And this is

The childhood that we call war.

 

Is it worth it—

Worth it all,

And all just to be poor?

 

Or is there more:

More to this

Childhood that we call war?

 

We played

Cowboys and Indians growing up,

But

But we always came in when the dinner bell rang….

Is that all we’re doing now?

 

And they say

We all have walls to climb—

Does this have to be mine?

Do I have to

Just keep living

The childhood that we call war?

 

Or is there more,

 

And is it worth it all

 

Just to be sore,

Just to have the feelings to write the words to make myself so poor?

 

I always liked

Playing Cowboys and Indians

With you in the summer,

But that was before

The cowboys got machine guns—

After that there was no sport,

 

And now there

Is no getting out of

This childhood that we call war

 

Until the Indians

Get bombs

And start it all over again.

 

But that was growing up….

 

And they say we all have walls to climb,

But how can I climb

When there is no getting out?

When there is no getting out of childhood

When there is no getting out of

The childhood that we call war.

 

And I can’t wait to hear the dinner bell ring

 

And I can’t hear the dinner bell ring.

 

And I always liked

Playing Cowboys and Indians

Growing up….

 

Reviews

[Wildecat]

I actually enjoyed playing Cowboys and Indians myself. This poem brought back some pleasant childhood memories. Thanks.