Evolution of Freedom of Speech

Evolution of Freedom of Speech
the key to peace is free speech

Wednesday, February 24, 2010

THAT WAR CAN BE!

That War Can Be!
That we dare distil
the ultimate poisons, make the sun's quick flame
into bombs we can throw high
into a red-lasered sky –
crisping up the flesh
of someone we’ve never seen--
that any nation dare
decree
that War Can Be!

Death for some, for saying "I believe,"
for others whose skin is light or dark
-- just give them a disease--
and for felons, concoct
death by injection --strap them down—
or off with their heads
in the middle of town.

How carefully we are taught and molded,
All those lies, as fingers folded---
Look at your hand, and count five things to hate:
I hate(1), I hate(2), I hate(3), I hate(4), I hate(5)!
How to change your mind? Is it too late?

We have filled the killing fields with skulls and bones,
Made empty hearts and hearths and broken homes:
No children laughing—nothing makes a sound—
Until the tanks belch out another round.

And I, athirst, do grieve for righteousness,
Sick of the Smell of the bread of the dead
in the furnaces of war:
instead of wheat, the harvest's red with gore.

Our heroes carry guns, our saints revolvers,
What’s habeas corpus? A trial by one’s peers?
And clever devils answer, “Patience, patience!
we have to kill for just a few more years!”

History ---bound on beams that twist, and lengthen--
bleeds and writhes -- with groans you cannot hear,
because your martial songs resound with thunder,
overwhelming memory with fear.

Sally forth, sheared sheep! And bleat together
“Fight for Right, and Lady Liberty!”
Enslaved by war-industry’s propaganda,
Your shepherds call, with words of treachery.

You can stop my mouth so very easily:
I am nothing, just a poor shorn sheep—
I am nothing, but I cannot sleep,
So broken is my heart, and I will weep.

Let my words shout for me! Forever, Peace!
Lest the weary world in flames consumes us all,
Sending all that lives to a final Sleep
and with the Furies its appointment keep.

O children! Pay attention! Time to Play
“Capture,” “Torture,” “Persecute,” and “Slay,”
--In these games excel, so War Can Be---
And laugh at sentimental fools like me.


JVB
Finished July 4, 2007 Egio, Greece
Written in the Cradle of Democracy

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