War

For whom do we all rise each day

with what do we gain happiness

For ourselves the masses say

though this is folly with sadness

 

The marching soldiers who had gone

our children who pranced to war

Had carried our hopes and love on

would die to please us never-more

 

No more the laughter to our ears

left forever the taste of dirt

As ground belayed the sound of cheers

and feelings of others pride hurt

 

In a moment the lonely sound

fell heavy on every mans ear

As the truth echoed from the ground

even the boldest shook to hear

 

For then the songs all ceased to play

we looked to sky and then to friend

They felt there nothing left to say

for woe had summoned this the end

 

Author's Note

Will we never stop beating the drums of war ? Only to pave the streets of conquest with the souls of children. I wrote this after attending the funeral of a friends dear child. You know goodness has a sound to it. It is the laughter of children Who play unafraid in the streets of a town. Lacking that we have failed to secure anything. Goodness is not what we won't do. Nor some question of whom we exclude. It is the unselfish act of humanity. That sees ourselves in those we include.

Reviews

[S. Georgia]

This poem especially spoke to be because of the subject matter, its a very delicate subject; war and how senseless it is. But it also spoke to me because my father's been in and out since about '01 in the past war and was finally discharged (thank goodness he's still alive) this year because of an injury (and a few previous ones). I think that all wars especially the present one can wear the mask of altruism and 'we're just going to help' but there's always a hidden motive which makes the loss of life completely meaningless.

"No more the laughter to our ears
left forever the taste of dirt
As ground belayed the sound of cheers
and feelings of others pride hurt"
I thought the above line was especially beautiful and just really spoke to me.
-S.

[little lily Bride of Ch..]

sad but yet Oh so very true very powerful and strong words here. Thank you for sharing

[Norma M Sutton]

A strong write with powerful imagery.

[Aggie Skeleton]

thats sad. reminds me of all my Marine friends.

[Jamie S.]

You have reminded us of the sadness and power that war brings with a touch of your gracefulness. Thank you for sharing such a tender piece and reminding me to keep our soldiers in my prayers.

[Jason Ellis]

War is cruel.
It always has been.
It always will be.
This poem shows the scars that war creates.
They say all wounds heal with time, but the wounds that cut as deep as war are always ready to split wide open again.
Technology hurts more than it helps, for it destroys even itself when placed in the hands of those who created it.
"War. War never changes. Since the dawn of human kind, when our ancestors first discovered the killing power of rock and bone, blood has been spilled in the name of everything, from God to justice to simple, psychotic rage."
Thank you for sharing this poem.
I'm very glad that I read it, even if it is a depressing topic.

[Charles]

Good one, Tate. Nice meter and decent rhyming without forcing anything. Good use of a couple of uncommon words: belayed and never-more. Subject is clear and un-muddled by extraneous passages and the theme flows well from stanza to stanza. :-)

"As long as there are men, there will be wars." I think the man who said this was right... It's inevitable. As a race we are fundamentally insane, and thus, we will continue to see evil forces arise throughout the world, even in our own lands... It is up to those brave men and woman, our soldiers, to stand up and fight for everything they believe. Like my grandfather, who almost died trying to liberate the people of Saipan from the cruel Japanese, who brainwashed many of them into taking their own lives. It's enough to make a grown man weep...
Your poem is powerful, and bring to light many things we all need to understand. Nice work!

[Wandering Nomad]

Wow. That's so sad and unfortunate, and yet true. War isn't always the answer. =( Great message you portrayed here. Fantastic job, as per usual. :)

[lindsay]

I can't really explain my feelings for this poem. I think it is really well written, but it puts me an awkward place. My boyfriend is the navy and I love him dearly and this is always what he wanted to do. I would never want to take that away from him. Yet I know that war is not always the answer to everything. While love and peace are wonderful, nothing is ever going to get solved by sitting around and sometimes force does need to be implemented.
Besides all that, I think this another one of your amazing poems. The images you paint are very clear and I feel like I am right there hearing the bomb go off in my head. Great job.

[Alice_In_WhateverLand]

So sad, and so true. very well portrayed. i enjoyed :)