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war poets
War poets are weary; they’re weary of war.
War poets aren’t war poets – not any more.
They’re cool connoisseurs of conflicts gone cold.
They’re battle-hard veterans war cannot scald!
War poets aren’t burning with anger no more.
They’ve swapped no man’s land for sun by the shore.
War’s cruel, callous killing no more strikes a chord.
From playing at war games war poets are bored.
War poets, to war zones, no longer return.
For blood-spattered battles they no longer yearn.
Their pens, once outspoken, indignant and loud,
like guns, they've fell silent, as soldier in shroud.
War poets have wandered o’er flowerless fields,
where poisonous poppies the soil no more yields.
They’re sick of the shrieking and screaming of shells,
ground down by defeats like those damn Dardanelles!
War poets are weary; they’re weary of war
that’s savage, like Nature, in tooth and in claw.
But as poets of peace they’ll never be known
till the ogre of war has been overthrown.
Review Request (Direction):
How was my language use?
What did you think of the rhythm or pattern or pacing?
How does this theme appeal to you?
How was the beginning/ending of the poem?
Is the internal logic consistent?
Last few words:
one day, this war will be over
Editing stage:
Content level:
Not Explicit Content
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Comments
Lavender
Tue, 2023-02-28 20:13
war poets
Perhaps due to cameras now being in actual war zones, we aren't as aware of war poets as we used to be. The media and war games as your poem mentions have either overwhelmed our minds with thoughts of war, or desensitized us. But the poets are still out there...many did not go to the war, the war came to them. Even on this site, there have been poems posted by poets from war affected areas from many places around the world. I like your final two lines - poets of peace up against the ogre of war.
Thank you,
L
Rosewood Apothecary
Wed, 2023-03-01 05:06
Off topic but
All my poetry is “war” poetry. This war is a spiritual one and it’s battles take place in my consciousness and subconscious mind.
The poem is organized and flowing. Decent soft rhyme working there. I felt one line to be “too long” or off rhythm but it didn’t really effect the flow negatively. Sometimes that can hamstring the whole piece but not the case here.
Nice job
Blue-eyed Bolla
Wed, 2023-03-01 13:18
war poets
Many thanks. Yeah, I'm familiar with spiritual warfare. This poem was basically trying to highlight the war weariness and disenchantment felt after that terrible WW1. Again, thanks for taking the time.
KBloor
author commentGeezer
Wed, 2023-03-01 09:56
Wars are...
made up of many battles, or they are very short wars. War poetry has been immortalized by many poets who were there. The ones who saw it up close and wrote of the triumphs and the despair, like Homer from the Roman wars who didn't actually 'see', because he was blind; and Whitman, Melville and Dickenson of the Civil War era. It seems that all who have experienced war, either first-hand or had it touch them in ways that profoundly affected them, wrote from the heart. We tend to think of War-Poets as being of when there were no radios, phones and television, but the truth is that there are still those that pursue the art of writing about all the vagaries war, even yet, in modern warfare. Like John J. Duffy who wrote "The Battle for Charlie" in Vietnam who was THERE and fought. We here at Neo. write of the wars all over this globe and we understand that as long as there are wars, it is our duty to write of them and expose the tragedy of them. Maybe someday there will be no more war. Sorry, didn't mean to highjack your comment section, but I feel you have embodied all of those and future poets of war, and I wanted to thank you for bringing them to the fore. Well done Sir, well done. ~ Geezer.
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Blue-eyed Bolla
Wed, 2023-03-01 12:27
war poets
Thank you, Geezer, for your full feedback and comment. I think that I had the First World War (Originally named "The Great War") in mind when I penned this particular poem. We used to teach this kind of 'war poetry' in school, but that has now morphed into 'conflict poetry.' (to be more inclusive) Poets such Wilfred Owen, Siegfried Sassoon and Rupert Brooke were studied. I know that war and war poetry has 'moved on' now, but these poets will always be so moving and poignant to me. I feel that this war wearied and disenchanted the poets like no other. Again, thank you for taking the time to look at my poor efforts.
KBloor
author commentGeezer
Wed, 2023-03-01 21:12
Poor efforts?...
Nothing could be further from the truth! I find your writing to be full bodied and always a treat. ~ Geezer.
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There is value to commenting and critique, tell us how you feel about our work.
This must be the place, 'cause there ain't no place like this place anywhere near this place.
Seren
Wed, 2023-03-01 10:06
Dear KB
I had to delete the beginning of my comment because it's going to be a poem inspired by this, absolutely cracking write. you've said it all with panache. I think this is an awesome poem that speaks of the world we live in today, There are wars but until the whole world is affected no one will sit up and take notice. I don't want WW3 none of us do but there are new generations that will never understand what war, a war that directly affects them all, is like.
They're all too busy playing Call of Duty.
love Jayne
“The world is full of magic things, patiently waiting for our senses to grow sharper.” — W.B. Yeats
Blue-eyed Bolla
Wed, 2023-03-01 13:15
war poets
Thank you, Jayne.
KBloor
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