To Kill or Be Killed (poem) by Michael S. True on AuthorsDen

To Kill or Be Killed
by Michael S. True → (All Poetry by Michael S. True)
Rated "PG" by the Author.

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It's a wonder anyone dies of natural causes...
To kill or be killed From the days of clubs and axes Swords and arrows Rifles and hand-grenades To kill or be killed People Hanged by the neck Drawn and quartered Poisoned, electrocuted Shot, drowned, stabbed To kill or be killed At the point where arrest And/or escape Are absolute Finding no alternatives Moving beyond that resistance To the taboo The fatal, final act Inevitable To kill or be killed A dark alley A battlefield The Convenient store down the street To kill or be killed Holding your breath Panting, choking Wheezing with pain To kill or be killed The attack, The scream Mind gripped by Fear, anger, rage The knife The gun The numbness to it all No place to run No place to hide There�s no way out The jig is up To kill or be killed There is a zealot A sinner A psychopath A warden A victim A sniper A soldier A prisoner A lawman, And a convict In every one of us To kill or be killed Whether Timid or able Weak or strong Merciless Or scared Sober Or insane To kill or be killed A being consumed Confused, Acting on conviction� Taking a life Calling on God Or the Powers of Darkness To bless or bear witness Knowing so little of this The human condition Michael S. True 9-20-09 last edit 7-13-13

Reviewed by pat medlin

Reviewed on August 1, 2013

i love odin's remark...from my observations and his works, that some i mamage to understand, i consider it a compliment and shared admiration of your talents. this is not my favorite so far, however really enjoyed the reading.... not one that grabbed me and kept me straining to read faster and jump back to read again and maybe again. :)

Reviewed by Odin odin@aflx.com

Reviewed on July 19, 2013

How true and relevant, even though the slow death of self-abuse and self-mutilation-of-mind is rampant in society today. If you can't get killed by another's hand, as your poem chillingly elucidates, give it time, we're getting good at finding quiet, silent, even invisible ways to take ourselves out. As I said somewhere recently, what we should fear most is ignorance. doG how our society loves to perpetuate than malady. Back to your poem. What strikes a strong chord with me is the way you move from "clubs and axes" to "Calling on God" for ???? Yeah, I've got some bones to pick with the zealots and the proselytizers running slipshod over humanity right now.