I walked in this park
T'was a cemetery
And I was alone
But for the others
Who lay there so peacefully
That is what I thought
So then I sat down
My mind wandered, drifted off
In contemplation
I heard someone say
“Just why are you here young man?
I struggled from sleep
Before I answered
Others began to cry out
Yes, I heard them all
Talk about bedlam
For each grave had opened up
They clamored to speak
Then the questions came
“What measure of man are you
To kill your own kind?
One by one they spoke
“But their skins were not as mine”
“So the pit for you
What is your excuse?
“They prayed to other gods”
“Fool, I still heard them
So then the next
“They spoke a foreign language”
“To hell you must go
And there were more
“Our leaders told us we must”
“And did you not cheer?
“I was a soldier
It was my duty to fight”
“But you killed children”
On and on they spoke
And for each was an answer
I had to protest
“Stop” I then called out
“These men have all been punished
Their families too
“Silly little man
I was not speaking to them
No, I spoke to you”
Image from www.straartkaart.nl
This poem (a haiku stream) was published elsewhere back in 2014. The times seems right to resurrect it!
This poem (a haiku stream) was published elsewhere back in 2014. The times seems right to resurrect it!
poignant
ReplyDeleteSad but I like this identification.
ReplyDeleteRobin, you said it.. we all carry the responsibility for allowing war to disgrace us and befoul the peace of our world. Well said.
ReplyDeleteSadly you are right - we will never learn.
ReplyDeleteAnna
Heartwrenching and oh so powerful ... Thank you for this ...
ReplyDeleteMy goodness this is potent!
ReplyDeleteVery poignant Old Egg, Thanks for sharing it today.
ReplyDeleteThe ending nearly broke my heart, Robin. Mostly, because so many people forget. They say they remember, but like your speakers suggest, they rarely remember the right thing.
ReplyDeleteAnd it is still going on, the killing.........the horror and inhumanity. A powerful poem, Robin.
ReplyDeleteI am so glad you shared this again...what a magnificent piece as each haiku is a lesson....a heartbreaking lesson we still cannot learn and you gave it such a powerful ending. Thank you!
ReplyDeleteYou've portrayed well the senselessness of war.
ReplyDeleteI cannot understand the war... and we can all be victims and we may be the perpetrators. I hope that I would have the courage to be shot at dawn for not obeying.
ReplyDeleteSad!
ReplyDeleteWow, Robin. This poem really gave me chills.So many deaths in war....and often we forget that even if people have different colored skins they have the same feelings and have families as well. I like Bjorn's comment.
ReplyDeleteAnd war keeps being touted as the answer to bring peace. Your piece strikes with stark reality. The first weapons of war are our words.
ReplyDeleteThis is a perceptive, wonderfully articulated piece that begs the question: where does the responsibility for war lie - ultimately ... with the soldier or the government ordering him into battle. Brilliant work on this, Robin.
ReplyDeleteIt seems so insane and so simple at the same time. It's so wrong.
ReplyDeleteProfound. Has to be read more thaN once
ReplyDeleteMuchlove