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WAR or PEACE ?

I sit here with troubled mind
and worry about what may come.
Most of my years now left behind
yet my rebel heart is not yet numb.

Just behind my home is a steep hill
with oaks that were old when grandpa was young.
It slopes down to a clear cold rill
where remnants of barbed wire are strung.

I sit in peace but think of battle;
blood spilled which turned rich soil red,
when rifles' fire made hearses rattle.
When young men fell and died and bled.

Did enraged farmers once march by here
on their way to fight against the king
leaving loved ones they held dear?
Were they aware what victory would bring?

Some of them came back to home.
Did they places terraces on this hill?
They'd burned out any desire to roam.
Their headstones stand around here still.

Four score years and blood ran hot again.
Would we remain one or would we divide.
Once more weeds would overtake the glen.
Once more young men left and died.

Then for a century and three score
our wars saw no blood shed at home.
Others' freedoms are what we fought for.
Until now such was our tome.

Yet I fear these times might end
for barbarians now breed within.
In dank cities they kill kith and kin.
Fatherless savages don't know good from sin.

And traitors up in Washington
urge them on in name of socialism.
i dread what they may have begun
as they try to widen a deep schism.

They promise All to regain power.
They promise false security.
They hope to make the "bad guys" cower.
Their price is small....just liberty.

I come from men who dared rebel.
I come from those whose hearts were free
I come from a line who feared no fight
and my sons are just like me.

What if our government betrays us
even worse than they have done already?
Will our own troops obey orders to shoot us?
If they do will we be ready?

Such a fight will not be civil.
Cities and towns will be laid waste.
We'll go first for those who spread lies and drivel.
Half of congress may be hung with haste.

Barbarian leftists will boil from their lairs
and be met with steel and lead.
There will be no splitting of hairs.
You'll be with us or you'll be dead.

I think these things with deepest dread.
Is such to be our country's fate
to see so many maimed and dead
due to the politics of hate?

An election comes again this year.
It may well be our last chance
to avoid that which all sane men fear.
To avoid scenes which My dreams merely glance.

Style / type: 
Structured: Western
Review Request (Intensity): 
I want the raw truth, feel free to knock me on my back
Last few words: 
Bet I'm gonna catch hell for this one
Editing stage: 
Content level: 
Explicit Content

Comments

Terrible thoughts in this poem, amazing the affect Trump has on his followers that they should talk of wars and hangings etc. He really should dampen down his hatred before it gets out of hand. Sadly I say Regards Roscoe....

Roscoe Llane,

Religion will rip your faith off, and return
for the mask of disbelief that's left.

it is the left which keeps calling for and enacting violence. do you know any conservative antics members. Or any conservative people who behead leftists or shoot them in effigy?

author comment

The U.S. government

Too many in gov't here have forgotten that the rights contained in the constitution are not given by the gov't but are rather forbidden to the gov't to abridge.

author comment

True

you write this

Barbarians and leftists will boil from lairs
and be met with steel and lead.
there will be no splitting of hairs.
you'll be with us or you'll be dead.

and you ask why people use the A word about you?

I wonder why you are the only person on this site in the wrong bubble. All us poets are just sucking up to the "lies" and you're the only one who sees this. I wonder why...

Eumolpus
I'd rather learn from one bird how to sing
than teach ten thousand stars how not to dance
ee cummings

will attack my ideals? that's OK. my skin is thick. But how about the poem?

author comment

sorry. If you are going to say things like you did, no way we can just forget the prosody and discuss the poem. What if we had a racist rant poem, or Ode to the joys of pedophilia? shall we discuss the meter?

You poem, that statement, attacks the reader in such a way that to not respond to accept it. There is too much passion involved in this political time. If you're going to write propaganda, expect a backlash.

Maybe you should shy away from political subjects. otherwise, accept the hate back that you put in the poem by we barbarians.

Eumolpus
I'd rather learn from one bird how to sing
than teach ten thousand stars how not to dance
ee cummings

This poem has been laying around a while as I considered whether or not to post it. Politics is something I seldom write about and I was pretty sure this poem would draw a bit of lightning. So having its premise attacked was expected. So feel free to do so. But while you're at it consider ways to improve it.
BTW I hardly consider this propaganda. It is observation based on many years seeing how dived we have become as the conservative viewpoint has been continually debased by liberals.

author comment

Barbarians and leftists will boil from lairs
and be met with steel and lead.
there will be no splitting of hairs.
you'll be with us or you'll be dead.

This is a threat. We'll be dead, we barbarian leftists. It's sick. It's like all the other cowboy rhetoric- kill the comies, kill the jews, kill the leftists...
Ever hear of George Orwell. Truth is lies. Your poetry is dangerous, inspires hate. What you call conservative is lost in the Orwellian nightmare you believe in.

Eumolpus
I'd rather learn from one bird how to sing
than teach ten thousand stars how not to dance
ee cummings

represents the worrying of an old man over a future which might not come to pass. Is worrying a threat? There have been liberal leaders and candidates who have actually expressed a desire to assault a duly elected president. There is a liberal leftist org which is actually showing up in public and physical attacking those with conservative views. and they have so far done so in full view of police who have apparently been told to not interfere.

author comment

Well said!
I did not join this site to be exposed repeatedly to naked racist and political hatred and violent threats that so-called "leftists" (what an objectionable and prejudiced term!).deserve to be murdered.

I quote:-
"Such a fight will not be civil.
Cities and towns will be laid waste.
We'll go first for those who spread lies and drivel.
Half of congress may be hung with haste."

Apart from the bad grammar (which is shocking) this is clearly relishing a 2nd US Civil War.
.

xxx
Edna
Poet(ess) to the Stars

and nobody is asking you to stay

author comment

,,,speaking to you. I was communicating with Eumolpus. However, your charming and hospitable comment is duly noted and will be treated with the contempt it so richly deserves, ie it will be ignored.
.
.

xxx
Edna
Poet(ess) to the Stars

And the intent stands

author comment

...were never your strong point.

Your strong point appears to be inciting violence and threatening murdering people with whom you disagree. I recall your telling me a few days ago that you had stocked up on ammunition so as to deal with "leftists" and the like.
.

xxx
Edna
Poet(ess) to the Stars

Seem to have No strong points and most of your poetry is crude. And yes, I've stocked up on ammo. Mostly for upcoming hunting season but also to not be caught flat footed if the barbarians decide to bring their idiocy down my way. I can disagree with folks without burning their stores down which is something many rioters don't seem capable of. I mourn for your country if you are the best they can produce the next time your freedom needs to be defended

author comment

...for the defenceless animals you enjoy killing.
.

xxx
Edna
Poet(ess) to the Stars

You just don't have the balls to harvest them yourself.

author comment

are ignored.

xxx
Edna
Poet(ess) to the Stars

Perhaps your skin is thinning?

author comment

Well with a sorter poem it might work but with one this long the last line would be longer than this response lol. But I Like the idea on a shorter poem

author comment

one can't please all

I never tried

still many read
but u at times only
Stan

usually avoid writing about politics and war. you know this as my volume of work shows this. But there are times which impel me to hold my nose and try to show what I see as a possible result of what is going on here. Not what I Hope will happen, but what I fear the majority is being driven to do. Thanks for your visit

author comment
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