One of the things that trouble me about Nov 11 is the shallow jingoistic tone it takes. Blood shed is blood shed and men and women on all sides fought “pro patria”. What ought to be remembered, along with the courage and sacrafice of those who fought, is the fact that war is always the worst possible choice...
In Flanders fields the poppies grow
among the fields where the dead sleep.
German or Canadian, Brit or French
they lie in their careful ranks, dead
at the command of King and Kaiser,
who should have lived and prospered
upon the blessed and bountiful earth.
Around their headstones the poppies bloom
blood red, the death wounds of a generation.
Austrian, or Italian, Turk, or Australian
no different once shot and shell
have had their way. Dead they are –
their blood spilled to the last drop;
blood carefully mopped up by
ambitious politicians callously
waving the bloody shirt to
scream for more wars...
Here they lie beneath a garland
of poppies – the Dead –
citizens of no country save their own.
Victims of the wrath and the pride
of nations.
This is what I remember through Charlies Eyes. :-) I think many misunderstood me. What we must remember is that as you say War is the worst choice of all. This is what the dead would say if they could speak. All day yesterday, I was trying to come up with an answer to the question of what to do? and my mind kept spining. It can't be easy to be a leader in this day and age.
When humanity frees itself from the merchants of war and the preachers of division and fear--all in the name of god and country (of course), then peace will finally prevail. Those who accept war as part of our human condition are sadly misled and ignore the lessons of human history/"evolution"...
This is a penetrating piece of verse, John. Well said, and masterfully penned.
Bravo!
Best Wishes,
Carolyn
Reviewed by Judy Lloyd (Reader)
Reviewed on November 12, 2004
Perhaps the leaders of nations should all be put in a boxing ring and duke it out before starting wars. Unfortunately it is the curse of man here on this present earth to war with each other.
Again, history is missing here. Americans, also, are buried in Fladers Field. They were there to help end, "The war to end all wars." We know bette5r now, of course. As a veteran of WWII, i disagree that we "glorify" war. It is our feeble attempt to honor those from whom life was taken. Our military is vital, and if anyone will read seriously about a weak America (since the isolationists were in control of Congress) rallying after Pearl Harbor to whip, with Russia's help, the forces of Hitler on one side of the world, and the armies and navy of Japan on the the other side, a better understanding would be had. The entire world escaped from poissble conquest by these two evil powers grasping for world domination. C'mon, our saying that war is bad doen't do piddly. We must stay strong, and elect strong leaders, or it will happen to all the non-believers one day. I don't want my progeny to go with them, so I'm for stopping terrorists, armies, navies, or any other powers from destroying the United States of America. We've been world policemen for 100 years, and have done a good job - even with all of our mistakes. The money and power use to be in Europe, but now, they are a "combined nation" - with its own Euro money! And, by damn, we helped to forge and form that, too. War is not a celebration - it is a consequence of being soft, idealistic, and foolish - against those who would take all and kill all.
Sorry to even think of something funny with regards this but I would love to be buried in a poppy field...imagine the buzz I could get...?
This needed to be said by someone, John & you did it so well as always you do...Ed
Reviewed by Linda Luna (Reader)
Reviewed on November 11, 2004
Bravo! thoughtful response to the over zealous glorification of war.
" Victims of the wrath and the pride of nations." Can we learn another way --it feels that we are going backward from hard lessons learned among the poppies this century.
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This is a penetrating piece of verse, John. Well said, and masterfully penned.
Bravo!
Best Wishes,
Carolyn
This needed to be said by someone, John & you did it so well as always you do...Ed
" Victims of the wrath and the pride of nations." Can we learn another way --it feels that we are going backward from hard lessons learned among the poppies this century.