Man

By taking life what do we gain rendering us all one has owned Do we inherit sorrowed pain for our own failure to have grown

             

Many men awed by another

have then sought out their fellows land

Man shall turn brother on brother

to steal of him his woman's hand

 

How do we claim the virtue love

yet pray to our war in the same

We speak of peace from up above

then kill each other in his name

 

By taking life what do we gain

rendering all someone may own

Do we inherit sorrowed pain

for our own failure to have grown

 

I see good men, both meek and mild

but those who kill so needlessly

Take life of someone’s loving child

depleting all humanity

 

What will they say when we're no more

beware those who kill their own kind

We will become what all deplore

until only the wind you'll find

 

Author's Note

A simple note to mark the passing of the human race. If we continue to mortgage our children's futures, someday we will be a footnote to history.

Reviews

[Frantzuu]

"How do we claim the virtue love
yet pray to our war in the same
We speak of peace from up above
then kill each other in his name"

I thought this was brilliant, my favorite stanza in the entire poem. Throughout history more people have been killed in the name of "GOD"
We talk about peace and then go to war. We focus more on the things we don't want instead of the things we want. Awesome poem again!!

[Kelsie Eileen Stark]

Very brilliant write, and very thought provoking... this was something I agree with you about-
and oddly, this reminded me alot of Native Americans.
Anyway, wonderful job

[OT]

nice! strong sentiments about the fate of this world should we remain in our current mind frame! another well written poem!!

[Tony]

Very good Tate, you have brought us a controversy seldom presented in the truest fashion.
Because, of course, of Tradition.
We sit and squawk as though we care about the bombed and burned children.
We feel bad they were too close to the 'targets', but we do not convict the killers.

We huddle together in bars, or sit alone in front of a desk top for weeks, trying to make that apparent, and still 'natural'. We rationalize, often through art and entertainment.

But we sit on padded chairs made of Capitalism, and eat the delicious spoils of war while doing so.
It's hard to say that in a nice poem, but great try, my friend,
Great Try.
You mentioned the collective in the description, and then painted us individual in the body.
One could say I am being critical of the poem,
but that would also be diverting attention away from the topic.....
So I always say (and to a large degree, do) that I cannot afford a single luxury until the children have stopped screaming, and the tee-pees are full of laughter in the evening.

So, I guess that means that what I think is that it is impossible to convince the individual that the collective is the most important thing.

And isn't that just bizarre?
How can an intelligent lifeform, on such a place as this,
know of mothers burying their babies?

This poem makes one think.
But I doubt it will make one do.

[Deviant Works]

I'm completely in agreement, Tate. We are our worst enemies, our own destroyers. The things we do for love, the things we do for power and growth, the things we do and do not do because of our beliefs. Just look at our bleeding world, crying in our hands. What will be left for our children if we continue on as we are? This reminds me of the war we fight at this very moment and because of it the two lost lives of my friends. It seems as if lose is a never ending cycle and we are the ones turning the pages.

[Geralyn Miller]

owerful, and I fear, prophetic. As a society, mankind wants only rights, but chose not to accept the attendant responsibilities. Organized religion is not about spiritual growth, but just greed of power. If we do not learn the spirit lessons in this life, we are doomed to repeat lives and lessons until we achieve spiritual growth. Personally, I do not wish to be doing "do overs" in the world we are creating to bequeath upon our poor unsuspecting children.
It is my fervent prayer that your poem speaks to the heart of at least some who have not learned their life lessons yet.

[Ashley]

this is great!

[Liza]

we ourselves have been mortgaged....and the interest continues....the resources and greed are hoarded....and happiness in this country means chasing the dollar - not living the dream - anyone can consider themselves lucky to be rich in time ~ health, shelter, nutrition and opportunities to expand their mind

[KAREN]

A poem that is strong and deep worded, words that should hit us all below the belt, words that should tell us to stand together and not apart! Excellent write to what this world is coming to!

[Grace Catherine C.]

Very good, really, very good.