DON'T TELL ME FRIEND OF THE GOOD OLD DAYS
WHEN THINGS WERE BETTER IN MANY WAYS
HOW IT WAS ALWAYS PEACHES AND CREAM
AND LIFE WAS BUT A PLEASANT DREAM.
THE WORLD WAS SIMPLE, ORDERLY AND CALM
A BETTER PLACE, OF BEAUTY AND CHARM.
EVERYTHING INNOCENT, SIMPLE AND SUBLIME
IT WAS WONDERFUL ALL THE TIME.
ALAS MY FIEND IT IS NOT TRUE
HERE FOR YOU ARE EXAMPLES FEW-
AN INNOCENT PREACHER ROAMED MID-EAST
SCARED KING, CONSUL AND PRIEST
HIS CRIME WAS- WHEREVER HE TROD
SPREAD LOVE AND PEACE AND WORD OF GOD
TO SHOW HIM REALLY WHO WAS THE BOSS
THEY NAILED HIM TO A WOODEN CROSS.
YOU KNOW OF ALEXANDER THE GREAT
WHEN HE WAS AT PERESPOLIS'S GATE
WHAT SLAUGHTER AND WHAT MAYHEM PRAY TELL
BEFORE THE MIGHTY DARIUS FELL
HOW CEASER SOAKED THE EARTH OF GAUL
WITH CELTIC BLOOD- YOU DO RECALL
THE MASSACRES OF TIMUR THE LAME
PYRAMIDS OF SKULL HIS CASUAL GAME
YOU KNOW OF ATTILA AND CHENGAIZ
WREAKED HAVOC, DID CITIES ERASE.
THE WAR TO END ALL WARS FOREVER
WITH MUSTARD GAS! OH! HOW SO CLEVER!
SO TO SAVE MORE LIVES WE HAD TO KILL
WITH ATOM BOMBS, AND SHOW OUR SKILL
AT HIROSHIMA, NAGASAKI TOO
WE MAIMED MILLIONS AND WE SLEW.
STALIN TO WEALTH EVENLY SPREAD
NEEDED TORTURE,EXILE, THOUSANDS DEAD.
TO TEACH THEM A LESSON, PAY THEIR DUES
HITLER'S FINAL SOLUTION FOR JEWS.
I CAN GO ON BUT IT IS SICKENING
THIS EXERCISE IN PAST'S RECKONING.
SO DO NOT TALK OF THE GOOD OLD DAYS
JUST LET US HOPE WE FIND BETTER WAYS
TO LOVE AND CHERISH SUSTAIN AND BIND
ON EARTH FOREVER ALL HUMAN KIND
I read somewhere that using ALL CAPS is like shouting. As I read, you came through loud and clear. And you don't have to shout to me or preach to the preacher. I have been saying the same thing in poems but not as effectively as you have with this one.
I did note a couple of misspellings, like Caesar. But everyone should read this to the end to get the message. So far, the 21st century where the leadership of the United States is so concerned about individual safety and security, on a world scale the violence to human beings is much less the first 18 years of the century that it was in the first 18 years of the 20th century. But we still have much to do.
Mary Angela Nangini's poems celebrate the richness of life and love. From the city to cottage-country and the roads in between, Nangini explores the changing seasons of her varied region. (This book will soon be reprinted in hard cover.)
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I did note a couple of misspellings, like Caesar. But everyone should read this to the end to get the message. So far, the 21st century where the leadership of the United States is so concerned about individual safety and security, on a world scale the violence to human beings is much less the first 18 years of the century that it was in the first 18 years of the 20th century. But we still have much to do.
Ron