A Soldier… to the advocate of war

/ Michael33
Anti war sign

photo credit: therese flanagan via photopin cc<!–

To go along with the above picture… Being a writer, I know within my heart that there are some things that I just can’t sit back and remain silent about.  As those of you who have honored me with your visits, likes, follows and comments since my first post know,,,  there are many subjects that I have been unable to remain silent about. Tonight’s subject matter is certainly no exception.  Besides… isn’t that what blogging is all about???

If you don’t want to suffer through my rant about war… then skip over it and read the poem…

Either way… please read the poem.

There are truths in the poem… My rant?….. An opinion.  Comments about either are welcome.

Today is my day to confess that I am an anti-war advocate.  Oh… I don’t mean that I wish there were no wars… I mean that I am seriously ANTI-war.  If this were the sixties or early seventies, I would be out amongst the masses proudly lifting my peace sign as high into the air as I could possibly reach.  It seems that my lifetime in this plane of existence has been polluted with perpetual war.  War hurts my soul.  Killing of another human being hurts my soul.  We never really complete one conflict before diving head first into another.   I could easily write a ten thousand word dissertation of my feelings about war, including all the supposed little things surrounding war, like killing suspected terrorists with missiles shot from drones without concern about the innocent children or adults alongside them.  Since when did America start killing “suspected” criminals without the right to a trial?  When did America start incarcerating suspected criminals without the right to a trial or even the right to consult with an attorney… or… excuse me… without even the right to notify those who love that suspected criminal of their whereabouts?  And torture???  Really???

I thought these were the things that Americans and America stood up against.

Killing only strengthens the enemy… or as we have seen most recently… Killing only creates new enemies that never existed before the killing began.

Okay… I’m done…

Enjoy the poetry from a soldier… written to an advocate of war.  It could be a senator or a representative that thinks that war is the answer… It could be an entire network of news media that eagerly offers hours upon hours of air time to those very same advocates of war, helping to beat the drums as loudly as they possibly can in their never ending promotion of war… It could be those who profit so well from war.  My list would continue into infinity… but if I don’t stop now… I’ll end up with that ten thousand word dissertation on “Why America should NOT indulge itself in war.,”  and my followers will find something else of interest to read instead of my poetry… but then… apathy toward what our own country, that we try to love so dearly, is doing militarily and secretly… is in fact a large part of the problem.

Okay… now I’m done.

Sorry for the length of my rant… not sorry for its content!

Please… be an advocate of PEACE!!!

Please…..

“A Soldier”
(To the advocate of war)
 
How could you just stand there
Scrolling through your list of names
While I stood right before you
Engulfed in breathless flames
 
I remember in my weakness
When you led me to the slaughter
The time you stood upon the shore
While I slid beneath the water
 
You’d think that somewhere down the line
I’d learn my lesson well
But I just stood there by your side
While you led me into hell
 
I obeyed your every spoken word
As I slithered through the mud
While you just sat upon your throne
And spilled my brothers blood
 
I killed for you, in the name of oil
Just as you commanded
Wiped out half a quiet village
Not so single-handed
 
You seemed displeased at the end result
And returned me to the fire
I wonder what you want from me
If I may so inquire
 
Now I’m home among my folks
Missing both my arms
It’s proving somewhat difficult
To bail hay on the farm
 
You tell me that my brain’s just fine
PTSD and all
But every time I hear a noise
I hunker down and crawl
 
I was there when you called my name
But you’re not there for me
Now you look the other way
While I’m drowning in the sea
 
You’d think that somewhere down the line
I’d learn my lesson well
But I just stand there by your side
While you lead me into hell

Peace

Have a very peaceful weekend…

Michael33

6 thoughts on “A Soldier… to the advocate of war”

  1. Thanks for the post. It does seem to be one war after another. I have stopped watching the news because I get overwhelmed by all the bad news. It triggers my PTSD but I do want to use my voice to stand against war as the answer. Your poem was terrific. It really moved me. Keep on ranting. I am just trying to figure out the direction of my blog. I have been writing for about 5 months but I am interested in moving it in a new direction. I guess we will see.

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    • Hi Janetcate… Thanks for the visit and the comments. You’re exactly right about the news. All they talk about is bad. There needs to be a good news channel, but it seems so many of them just wallow in the bad. I used to be a news junkie… but not anymore. I think your site and the image it gives to the reader is terrific. There are so many looking for outlets and meaningful words that they can relate to, that help them express their own emotions surging within them with nowhere to turn for a release. Your writing… expressing so deeply how you feel about the injustices in the world and how you manage to deal with them is going to provide solace to many of those who are suffering. I greatly appreciate meaningful writing and yours is exactly that. Thank you for sharing.

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  2. Your poem says it all… and having fought in a war on the border of Rhodesia, I find certain lines you write very pertinent to how I feel… However we know from experience that America has one policy they verbally shout the protection of the innocents… yet when our innocents were shot out of the skies by terrorists shooting down two civilian planes, where was America, we would have even accepted a condemnation from the government, but all we received was silence…. and now this is exactly what America does… kill innocent people in the name of war… we all still wait for the WMD purported to be in a country now almost totally destroyed because Bush wanted to prove a point and ensure oil for the USA… and all of this has just caused more wars to begin, and big business in America eggs it on for the money to be made…. I enjoyed your sentiments in your rant… good one… Now I’ve had my rant and here is the link to my post about this (and a small rant of my own) http://visitstothepark.wordpress.com/2012/09/04/rhodesias-911-attack-a-memorial-and-unveiling-of-the-monument/

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  3. Thank you so much for submitting to Artists4Peace and joining us in using our art to promote love, understanding and peace throughout the world. Posting momentarily.. P.S Sorry for delayed response and it is also great to see you are displaying the logo 🙂

    Melanie

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    • Hi Melanie – Thank you so much for posting my poetry on your wonderful site. I am very honored to join you in your endeavor to promote love and peace. If you find time to wander through my posts and find something of interest that you would like to share with your readers, just let me know. Thank you so much for including me on “Artists4Peace”…
      Michael

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