Tag Archives: War

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Opposite Sides of the Same Pain

A Sunni mother silently watches:
overhead, a gathering of scavenging ravens
paints the dusky sky
above the broken bodies of her three children.
Bewilderment mixed with horror and beauty,
accented by the pebbles beneath her feet,
polished smooth by a flood of tears.
An acrid wind swirls
with scattered hope and broken dreams;
confetti raining on freshly scorched earth.
Another womb is rent in unbearable grief
at the loss of its precious fruit.

In that very moment, across the sea,
a Haitian waif reflects:
a flock of seagulls angrily position
above the ghetto garbage heap,
next to crumbling shanty
where her newborn triplets scream with hunger.
Bewilderment mixed with horror and beauty,
the waste beneath her feet glistens
with the flood of her tears.
The stench of rotting wind swirls
with scattered hope and broken dreams;
flies rising up from quaked earth.
Another womb is rent in unbearable grief
at the bounty of its damnable fruit.

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Vengeance

Into the rain and clapping thunder
Sends God His vengeful deadly host
To  see His children torn asunder
For Father, Son, and Holy Ghost 

Throughout the night, and sure the road
Iron hooves clip steady shoreward
And more the rattling of the swords
Their sharpened tips now pointing forward 

In fearless form astride their steads
into pitched battle thrown
Ride Death and Justice gallantly
Slicing meat from bone 

Upon each hamlet, rape and pillage
Man offered up for Heaven’s plunder
While screams ascend from every village
And babies slain in wide eyed wonder

No mercy shown unto this throng
Nor sympathy bestowed
While Justice seeks to right a wrong
Death collects what God is owed. 

Before their blades a thousand fall
Ten thousand more now pave the street
Into the sea are driven all
This sacrilege is now complete 

And as the surf coughs up her dead
Death and Justice sheath their blades
The golden sands now blood-soaked red
Belie this savage Godly raid.

Revenge exacts its costly measure
Exhausted homeward ride the two
They fight not for acclaim or treasure
But falsely for what’s “right” and “true”

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Fight, My Brothers

Fight, my brothers, boys to men
And if you fall, to God ascend
Swear your oath on bended knee
Take up your march to victory
Do not fear to be laid low
Each hero has his story told
Depart my brothers, on lifted tide
We’ll right this wrong, or else we die.

For every decent thing within
Come we upon who lives depend
Into the fray we march and send
The boldest and the best of men

Though weary, faint, and sore afraid
Through cold of morning, heat of day
We cannot take another way
Our path is clear, we’ve naught to say

Cross mountains high and valleys low
In starlight bathed and moonbeams glow
With every bone and sinew bowed
For every oath and debt we owe

Into the night and far beyond
Cross fiery fields, o’er foggy ponds
Our path is clear, so brothers bond
Take up your arms and carry on.

Our time has come to march this road
For each of us to bear the load
To sacrifice what’s been bestowed
To ante up a measure owed

To live and die with equal grace
We must unite and leave this place
Of comfort, warmth, I’ll plead my case
Prepare all hope to lay to waste

A new and evil day emerges
Full of hate and dreadful scourges
Sing loud and full your deathly dirges
Be stout of heart, your song, it purges

Take solace in the devil’s charm
And when in doubt a haughty song
Lift up your eyes and carry on
Steadfast into the setting sun.

Fight my brothers, with heads held high
Anything less and we all die
In battle pitch our freedom lies
We have no time to sympathize

With shoulders broad take up your arms
The threat before must be disarmed
Quick, step into the fog of harm
So those we love may carry on

And do not wince or flee this place
A coward’s doubt is his disgrace
Be true to your brothers, and stay this place
For yours is not to throw this race

Be brave sure, be quick in pace
March beyond this arduous space
Laid low by arrows, bow and mace
Each death revealed upon your face

Though rivers tinged with blood may flow
Onward brothers, onward go
What lies ahead we do not know
In brotherhood entrust your soul.

And when the battle’s spent and won
And lay to rest their broken bones
Let their honor be widely known.
With brothers slain you return home