"Silence of Us Lambs..."

A real "Thank you for your Service" that isn't just mindlessly mouthed out of a social media's feel good narrative.

There IS a preamble to this poem, sigh.  But my tears for what IS being done in whatever name you, the viewer, uses to define yourself as a person have blurred my vision. 

 

People have begun and fought wars throughout all of humanity’s history by mindlessness and the directed/controlled specific actions of persons by others that were deemed to be their leaders.  Afterwards come the recognition of morals, principles, flailings of consciences that we espouse to soothe sensibilities.  But this one time …this one time - can’t we rise above the bitter truths(?) we continue to be TOLD and talk WITH each other through our “angers and rage” and remember our shared humanity?

 

“Silence of Us Lambs…”

 

There is so much silence …here,

…watching…

…awaiting…

drawn by the palpable sense of the anger.

Anger empowered by biased actors

directing and supporting from and to both sides.

 

What I think…

(but it doesn’t matter what any I …thinks -

now does it?)

People are so convinced that

they are part of an imaginary cosplay game…

and hence are invincible and bear

no personal responsibility

for their actions or presence … a game -

where they willingly throw away their humanity,

relationships, families, …selves.

 

The sides are not talking -

they don’t have too,

after all - both are right,

both are wrong

…and the game’s players

just play on.

 

Who’s right or wrong doesn’t matter in a game,

you just have to win …TOO WIN!

 

Why?  Damnit, why…

“Well, we HAVE to do something” about “…” -

do what about …what?  Tell me?

 

“Well, they are lying! LYING…

Lying about everything!”

K… so your response to this is:

Well, I am frustrated…

Well, orange man bad…

I want Justice!!  It’s been a year - no one is responsible EVER!

I can DO this cause …it’s just a game.

No consequences…

STICK IT TO THE MAN!!

 

But the guns have bullets not beanbags…

no pepperballs...

“Really?”

“They’re not REAL police!

They have no power or authority!

Even our police won’t stand up for THEM!”

It’s just a game…

 

“If I agree, why do I get beaten - literally.”

If I have no opinion - so again …I get beaten.

Hey man, fists hurt, boots hurt …frozen water bottles? -

C’mon Brandon be real.

 

You celebrate my social cancellation, then

push for my job

…to get me to stand beside you?

…to agree with you?

 

Both sides don’t seem to think - anymore.

Neither listens - not even to themselves…

they don’t even SEE themselves -

BUT THEY KNOW!  THEY KNOW…

they know…

what’s right …and not.

 

We’ve seen that language is perceived as a weapon (of choice) -

and it IS so mean-spirited intentionally -

and meant to be personally offensive

and in-your-face.  There is NO personal space.

“Protests are meant to disturb…”

and by that decree,

there IS no place that’s sacrosanct -

and prayer is a sin, and children -

are meant to be afraid and cry?

Fire cleanses the troubled(?) souls,

and glass was made to break!

But PEOPLE break too...

 

The truth is a lie? - even as you watch in witness

and the lies are SCREAMED out as the truth -

from those on high -  of both sides.

 

There is no reason, nor innocence.

Personal opinions aren't allowed,

Being human is not allowed.

 

I’m a Vet. 

I stood up for us as a people and country.

We ARE better than this.-

You guys NEED to talk WITH each other

not AT each other.

 

Chris

Ancient117331

Author's Note

I am leaving this open for any age to read and comment. Think before you let your fingers free.

Reviews

[olla]

WE.. as a people.. have a rich history of putting aside our differences and coming together to achieve a common goal.. and the price of those victories was a lot of blood and gore.. and years of dubious recovery.. and the rest of the world.. the evil doers.. are licking their chops over the idea that they are finally going to defeat us after all.. yes.. we are angry.. we have been beaten.. robbed of our wealth.. been told to shut up and get over it.. that it's for our own good after all.. and we've been conditioned to believe that only THEY can save us.. when the reality is.. only WE can save ourselves. as you said it in your poem.. about being OK.. YOU took it upon YOUR SELF to listen to your own advice.. and you turned out to be right enough to BE OK.. I too know inside myself what I NEED to be ok.. am I going to have to suck it up and suffer some consequences..?? isn't that too my way of becoming OK..?? we as a people had better start sucking it up while there is still something left to save.. and since we live in a digital world.. this is our medium.. this is our platform.. THIS is our town square.. Satan whispered in Eve's ear..

[Chris]

Thank you for pausing and leaving behind your thoughts... and you did it very coherently.

[olla]

chuckling here.. "coherently.."" thank God.. I seem to fall into psycho babble dullpoop more often than not these days. I blame it on advanceing old age.. :)

[emmajoygreen]

'But PEOPLE break too...

The truth is a lie? - even as you watch in witness
and the lies are SCREAMED out as the truth -
from those on high - of both sides.

There is no reason, nor innocence.
Personal opinions aren't allowed,
Being human is not allowed.

I’m a Vet.
I stood up for us as a people and country.
We ARE better than this.-

You guys NEED to talk WITH each other
not AT each other.

Chris'

A superb defence of Mankind's need to be - as many a faith and lovingly wise mind declares, a just interpretation of, ' Do unto others as you would have done unto self.. '

If the first war was meant as a cure-all for our planet, why have there been so many wars in the long, long last past?
Your words are - as always, gently but adamantly wise, Chris.

[Chris]

Thanks for coming by Em.

[Shownashappening]

This so aptly illustrates today's climate, what I consider the most consequential bout of societal shouting-as silence, both in substance and in reception.

Maybe one day we will learn how to meet on a human to human basis and really work things out equitably, maybe not; but it'd at least be pretty nice to say we've gotten closer to that hey?

[Chris]

It has never quite worked that way, but it has been the dream for countless generations ...hey?

[Kathy Van Kurin]

'Silence of Us Lambs'
Chris,
Your freedom, mine...ours to speak, to think. Your above write shows that the human heart mind can reason. What are our reasons...you pointed that out to. Generally humanity believes their cause just.
Thanks for this thought provoking piece.
Blessyoumuch!
Kathy

[Chris]

"Blessed Be!"

[Kathy Van Kurin]

Yes Chris,
I believe that God is in it all somehow whether I like it, or don't, understand or not. What to do. What else can I do? Pray for all involved in the complexities............

[S.zaynab.kamoonpury]

Ah an awesome strong poem on the sad plight of war victims.
Wordly superpowers just kill for oil/ land/ resources in savage ways like a war machine. The victims respond but will it stop the massacre? Kudos!!
Plz also read and comment my newest poem too

[Curly Grace]

Chris,
Your poem carries the weight of someone who has seen conflict up close and can recognize its shadows long before others do. The grief in these lines is unmistakable, but so is the hope... the insistence that we are still capable of talking with one another instead of performing for our chosen sides.

What struck me most is the way you name the “game” for what it is: a dangerous illusion that forgets people break, families break, communities break. Your reminder that consequences are real, that language wounds, that humanity is not disposable... those truths land with force.

Thank you for speaking from a place of lived experience rather than ideology. The steadiness beneath your anger is what stays with me. I hear the plea in it, and the love for the country beneath the frustration.

We are better than this. Your poem doesn’t just say that... it asks us to remember it.

[FlatDaddy]

And now, today, the next step has been taken: "US WAGES WAR AGAINST IRAN." and Trump asked no one for permission nor even input from Congress. His actions are, again, patently illegal. Only Congress can declare war -- so says our constitution. But our government -- OUR government? don't make me laugh! WE no longer HAVE a government. We have a CABAL, we have the RIGHT makes MIGHT, where the RIGHT does not mean the Correct, or the Just or the Humane; it is only the RIGHT politically; no, it is a small portion of the RIGHT that has taken our country away from the people who ARE America: ALL OF US! And now we are at war, again, as declared by a mad man who has shown us many times and in many ways that he is not fit to be a janitor in the White House. And now our combined military forces are run by a Fox talk show host with maniacal delusions of grandeur, with Stephen Miller, Hitler reincarnated, pulling Trumps strings while Congress hems and haws, too afraid to stand up and take control back from the mad men and LISTEN TO THE PEOPLE, who want only Peace and the right for all of us to just LIVE together. Has it gone too far now that we can't get it back? I, too, am a vet, 4 years, USAF. I'm 78 and too old to do much more than yell about all this. But I CAN vote. I can try my best to choose the right people to pull us back from the towering ledge we all now stand on. I get on my power wheelchair and wheel myself to protests, I sign petitions, I show my skinny a*s to all those who are tearing our country apart. What are YOU doing?

[Chris]

I am doing some thinking instead of just acting on feelings... since you asked. One, its been two days – not endless YEARS. Two, a pretty well known dearth of American casualties to this point in time. Three, US strikes have been pretty concise with few reported Iran civilian casualties. Four, seems Israel has also been concise and hasn't reported their own casualties. Fifth, and for me the most telling - Iran's response (for decades) has been to attack random civilian population centers and commercial activities - throughout the Middle East and the world – both their neighbors AND religious allies as well as Israel, and building and supporting international level terrorist groups and activities; and THAT has never changed, even NOW. I watched the random missile activity over Tel Aviv last night and Iranian missiles DID get through. One nuke warhead - ONE - from Iran and the civilian death toll would be unending. Israel HAS nukes – for a long time now – and has yet to use ANY, for any reason.

I am not Jewish, nor an Israeli supporter by any means. But, I don’t believe in genocide by ANY side: but only Christianity’s theology has “turn the other cheek” and NO countries in the Middle East are Christian based.

Foreign policy is NOT what "is pulling our country apart." It is the politicians - both sides speak through the sides of their mouths. Their inane rhetoric, "do nothing" and screw their own party and the American peoples behavior, lack of personal responsibility AND accountability for their rhetoric and behaviors - all of which "filters downward" to their constituents (who actually have no say about what is done - by either Uni-party). You need TWO picture IDs AND a SSN Card to shovel snow?!? but absolutely NOTHING to vote - state or federal elections? Be real – you even need ID to get a driver’s license or state-issued personal ID Card, open a bank account or even cash a check.

I get it that the "Orange Man" is bad, but that does NOT make Schumer nor the rest of his cast "Angelic". It takes a willingness from BOTH sides to correct things and make it equitable and for far too long THAT hasn't been happening. So I am saying people NEED to talk WITH each other and get THEIR shyt together. I learned long ago to not just b***h about problems or symptoms - but to suggest solutions. I don't have magic pills to dispense, but at least I am listening for those that might.

[J.J. NIGHTINGALE]

FD.. STHU..

[FlatDaddy]

Chris, my tirade was not at YOU (this is just your private tiny electronic stage we are using), so chill out; we're still best buds. I am pissed at Hegseth, Miller, and their crow. They are the idiots who wi;; kill anyone who gets in their way. THEY are the bad ones.

[FlatDaddy]

Sorry if I pissed you off, Chris, or anyone else. I burn a bit too quickly.

[FlatDaddy]

I've never been a lamb, never will.

[FlatDaddy]

Okay, I shot my mouth off much more than usual, and I certainly did not mean to piss you off, Chris. my comment to YOU" was the YOU out there, the teaming masses who might/should read what we write here (and I do mean WE). bUT i APOLOGIZE TO you, Chris. My bad.

[Chris]

Keith, I did not have a single problem with what you said or how you said it... but you DID ask for my thoughts... chuckling here.

[FlatDaddy]

Actually, Chris, I wasn't addressing you, but those who read this piece, the YOU out there. Then I saw how it could be read ...

[Chris]

Chuckling here...and lo and behold it WAS read that way.

[Davidgeo]

I'm aged 44, I read it.

I'm also a vet. (army, 13b)

Extreme things are being normalized again. The "overton window" has shifted significantly with respect to public discourse. I don't think it's ever happened like this in America in anyone's lifetime that is currently alive. This is some weird tech bro gilded age oligarchy s**t. Truly an attempt at "post truth reality". I don't think it's going to work though. Maga is too stupid. These people are genuinely incompetent. But... that it is coming this close to a literal white christian nationalist oligarchy should terrify every single person alive right now. Whatever is coming next will not make the same mistakes. The American military, in the wrong hands is capable of bringing hell upon earth. Literally... sort of.

[Stephany]

A poet once wrote…Where have all the flowers gone? Maybe it was a song writer. A poet with lyrics in my mind. I wonder these days Where has humanity gone… Indeed it is long time passing.
Moral consciousness is an integral component of any society or group of people….society seems too nice of a concept today. Society may imply concern for others and that certainly is not the case today. Everyone is concerned with Me…
I remember when for the good of the majority was not a sin and people actually cared for one another. It was not so long ago, yet the memory dims more each day and it almost causes me to wonder Did I imagine that?
To acquiesce would mean the erasure of my thoughts has been completed.. So I struggle in search of something kinder and fight to retain my memories

Chris this is well written and causing me to ramble a bit…. Is it longing or a mind that has aged?
Have a good day
Steph

[Rosie C]

This is quite an informative piece.

Cleverly written. I’m very intrigued by the thought process in the making of this.

Lots of strong opinions from the writer. As a reader, I am open to it.

I can sense that writing can be a form of stress a relief on this particular occasion.

Enjoyable to read either way. I’m very interested.

[Chris]

come by anytime... say "Hi"

[ETERNITY]

hi Chris, so many times I wish I could reach my goal without a fight ...Never happens.
Great write.

[Chris]

You are always welcome to pause with me.

[ETERNITY]

That's awesome. Thanks