i just don't get it.the news makes war seem so bland.except now and then something sneaks past the bosses.
like when i was watching a report on nbc about afghanistan and caught the look in a ten year old boy's eye when he came to after a land mine accident ripped off both his arms.it made me hate war more than ever before.
questionaires
there are no spaces in questionaires
to fit in the true story
i look for loopholes where i can express the facts and feelings
there are no men or women with ears and hearts
and intelligence enough to solve the problems of lives.
But i pray that compassion attacks all complacent
sleepwalkeers and agrandizing gurus of the marketplace
so that their tongues burn when they lie
and sleep eludes them
when they've passed a beggar or a pilgrim
without a dollar to spare for their plight.
how do you fill out a form for angry greed
that tears the arms off children
how can you answer for collateral damage of the heartwrenching
realization of the boy who's only ten
who's crying for his arms?
there are no spaces for 'i'm sorry.'
in questionaires redressing war.
where have the men of honor gone?
where is the conscience buried in self-important men?
The war is only for oil and greed and BUSH dream of being richer after his soft job as pres. I feel sorry for all those to put him in office and continue to support him as he goes into their pockets and saving to pay for this war that is killing to many people of every culture and country. All we can do is pray and hope it ends soon. Thank you for being human and having these feelings.
Dear Scott Cumming,
Your comments are apposite. This is a moving poem, strong on narrative; it scans well. Its vivid textual imagery 'stabs' out from the page. The layout is attractive, meets the eye. I 'connected' with the feelings you express on this matter. In that sense your poem achieved a purpose and I suspect it will bring comment from other readers too. I have praised your poetic work previously (as I write this I am not certain whether I posted comment against your alter ego, 'I_Artman' or against 'Scott Cumming'). This time I praise 'Scott Cumming' for composing "war protest", but my praise is on two aspects; on the artistic merit itself; and on the topical expression. Well done both!
If you wish to see some more (mine) observations -in the form of poetry- on the subject of war, please go to the following links on my journal.
POLITICS & WAR
<http://my.opera.com/lokutus_prime/journal/20>
<http://my.opera.com/lokutus_prime/journal/19>
<http://my.opera.com/lokutus_prime/journal/11>
<http://my.opera.com/lokutus_prime/journal/25>
~lokutus-prime
I was given the thought somewhere in the past that "war is good for the economy." Thank you for reminding me of scenes of RKO Movieton News of Nazi soldiers, of a painting on a carnival banner of a Nazi with a baby on his bayonet that scared me in my nightmares for years, of soldiers frozen in a ditch Korea, while Van Johnson, John Wayne, and company were telling me "it's all good", while sailors were jumping off burning ship in a tourist's harbor, while we fenced in Asians because we just couldn't tell which was which, or waking one morning to discover we "just bombed Viet Nam, where's that good lord?, remember the picture of the napalmed girl running in front of the regugees?, which was near worse to wake one morning and discover we attacked some farmers somewhere, but the medical students on the island are OK, and always were OK, but thank God they have been debriefed, how brief is brief I wonder, we have allowed subtle debriefing all these years, and thank God, some one like you comes along and starts my day in prayer for a pair of boy's arms, to remind me that while the war may be good for the economy, there won't be anyone left to purchase the goods, or want to if they are there. Bless you Scott!
lokutus… i did my homework, even commented at two of the posts you provided.(19 and 20 i think). i am touched at how you 'go out of your way' in this journaling business. i must say, you certainly do have a 'voice' i see and read all over in the journals, and the minute i read a few lines of commentary i can tell it's lokutus; keeping the level of politeness and intelligence elevated. thankyou for being here.
"war is good for the economy."
i've heard that many times. i don't think it can really be proven. or i should say it can't be explained why that is so, if it is so.
maybe just because it lights a fire under the asses of everyone to get serious and realistic… a kick in the collective consciousness's butt.
yes i know the picture you mean…
she was skinny and naked and the photograph was probably published year after year. i saw it so many times.the poster child for anti-war.
the trouble is people are hardened. they see pictures like that and don't feel anything even remotely approaching the sheer terror she was experiencing.the unholy crime of war.the massacre of the innocent.
thankyou for your comment that we may feel together.
whenever someone comments on my entry, i go and read their journal, as much as my eyes will bear and brain will entertain without bursting.
i was fascinated by your situation. hgbrown's commentary was very good.
i don't want to say much. but you must be there for a reason.i will keep looking in on your journal to see how it goes.
and thankyou for your comment.
I ArtMan, thank you for your generous remarks. There are many remarkable journals posted in this community, including yours. I count my self very fortunate to be able to interchange ideas, views, opinions and philosophies, with these journalists. I am much the richer for having the opportunity of sharing, in all of this process.
I am glad you found my links interesting. As far as the following, specific (war poem) link is concerned, I was attempting to emulate (in spirit) the 'idea', found in the famous "Canterbury Tales"; in which stories are told, viewed from different aspects, by the individual travellers as they continue their journey. So it was, that in link <http://my.opera.com/lokutus_prime/journal/25>, I wrote from the imagined viewpoint of different 'military minds' engaged in the same campaign. Two of the tales (stanzas), (The Officer's tale), (The General's Tale), are intended to convey an ironic overtone, as their characters try to justify (to themselves) what is happening.
While we are on the subject of "War" and, ergo, "Politics", you might be interested in an essayed reply I gave to someone a while ago. it's on this link <http://my.opera.com/lokutus_prime/journal/21>
Thank you, again, for your kind response.
~~lokutus~~
i did notice the roleplaying and liked the subtlety of the irony… it sort of sneaks up on you.it's a great exercise in thinking to try to put into words the real thoughts of people like generals. they do have sincerity which of course makes the terror of the situation even more real.
the sentimental glamorization of soldiering is spread by the phenomenons of chameleoning and admiration. everything's cool
until the bomb blows YOUR legs off.or a friend is killed before your eyes. then honor and victory ring with a falsetto dissonance.
i believe in honor, courage and sacrifice. and i especially believe in liberty fraternity and equality. but that doesn't seem to be what we are fighting for anymore.
hello, hellO 😎
hellO:) writes::)
Another war is posible ,when about today everyone's stand up everyone's freedom .By work and do anything with the money .Pay for products and machines that take our place at the streets and forcing everyone about others captal to buy everything at tv .The markething care to money ,the people seek the images ,othes want to take place at our neighborhood to sell itsproducts stand up at our countrys .Its what i call WAR OF SMILES when everyone come to take your place .Being nice will have a sooner time that its not a option ,but it stills there lost when see you are made fool to accept all of it products to our lives .Buying it does not buy the freedom to use it ,and there is where you stand up the freedom in the name ofevolution or needs .So that will be another time for war ……….
yes WDHellS, we are driven to consume and upgrade our lives. we are in an age which will go down in history as a dark age, a kali yuga, when people lie cheat and steal without realizing it.luckily, a spiritual vacuum will call all souls to the more fulfilling life inside us. then we will be in the raja yuga. you can't force it and negativity just supports the dogs of hell.
dear nhat,there are a lot of holes in your argument but i appreciate the trouble you have taken to express yourself. if i had time right now, i would go into it in depth. :smile:as for the painting. i may try it your way someday. i'll just explain something…. i saw this on the news. the lady was a nun or a nurse. the camera happened to catch the moment when the boy noticed that he had no arms and he was more stunned and appalled than he was in pain. death, i put in because if i was 10 and lost my arms i would want to die.thank you for commenting.