taking up arms

©2012 Susan Noyes Anderson

Verdun, by Felix Vallotton

then and now, war is the same
guts and glory, brawn and blame
rage, remorse, and alibis
searing truth and crushing lies

faithless enemies and friends
vengeance tempered by amends
justice dealt in bloody blows
raining down on faceless foes

imperfection marks us all
some will rise and some will fall
man will heed the battle call
man will heed the battle call

∞§∞

“History teaches us that men and nations behave wisely once they have exhausted all other alternatives.” – Abba Eban

“One is left with the horrible feeling now that war settles nothing; that to win a war is as disastrous as to lose one.” Agatha Christie

“O peace! how many wars were waged in thy name.” – Alexander Pope

I am not saying here that war is never necessary. Evil exists in the world, and sometimes, we will have to fight it. But we need to be sure that we, ourselves, are not the very evil we seek to eradicate. And that is almost never an easy call.

Quote by artist, Felix Vollotton – “The life I live is literally the opposite of the life I dreamed of. I love seclusion, silence, cultivated thinking and reasoned action – and I have to deal with machinations, foolish talk and vain affectation.”

Related Poems:

Summer of ’74 A Child’s View of 9/11 The Cause of Freedom The Love of God: Terror in Orlando