You snatched it...

[Reminded & dedicated to our lost uniforms]

How can one look into the eye of another and kill,
Dismiss lives upon his callousness—

'Level you reason to pierce the skin of those 'longside you in ranks
Had not your aggression calmed as you see similarities in his uniform;
Had you no more respect;
Must you be so selfish?

A child-- will not be tucked away in bed-- you snatched it
A husband will not see his beloved— you snatched it
Woman snatched from her wedded-- you snatched that vow

The disdain has your turmoil
Your fingerprints embedded in the blood shed
Know you not of the strife you would cause?
No, your nonchalance to mass and thoughts beyond miles of ruthless
You’ve turn cold your own brother’d soldier;
You’ve left your sister’d soldier lifeless,

You ‘unconcious’d’ your mind,
‘You ‘mis-think’ the life you signed up for; 'you forget the pen you held?
You turned life down and left hollowness,
You lay awake to await trial—
A Nation cries trials of grief that you pulled the trigger and placed

Your light so dim-- you misplaced your thunder
Dozens of soldiers
Dedicated to defend us and yet you left them defenseless
Snatched welcomed soil’s protection;
You turned to darkness...have you not studied the cure?
The cure to help the damaged soldier's soul upon visit for counsel & healing
You instead snatched their soul void

Tossed any oath to protect; any oath to cure, not damage;
Leaving boots unfilled, uniforms hung dry—
Starched and pressed but for burial dress
Flags fly low and lay ‘cross coffins—
‘Fathom the number of those who strike your name with fire and possess unlikely of you;
'Knowest not the numbers who wish your heart still
Leaving questions unanswered and love unredeemable--
And
You lie able to breathe
You snatched the breath of your 'brothers and sisters'
Leaving them to gasp for breath;
Leaving a Nation to gasp the concept
Of
Less a return of one who had not yet left
You snatched it
Your hate snatched it;
Your ruthless hatred— snatched it away….

 

© 2009 Shean Allyn

Reviews

[Coyote Poetry]

A great patch. I wore the First Cav. patch for six years. Hard to find reason for war. War is started by rich men in big houses while the poor fight and died everywhere. Great strength and ideas in this poem. A outstanding poem.
Coyote

[NoneOfYourBusiness akaK..]

heartbreaking~ within the seeds of war the only ones who win are the monsters who started the war in the first place from their high pedestals watching others die in the battle they contrived~