The eve of destruction...

April poetry number fifteen...

                         The eve of destruction...

My grandfather was a soldier, my father was a soldier and I was a soldiers. We were taught to fight, we were taught to shoot weapons and we were taught to kill.

The government wanted robots and they taught the sermon of the blood songs to us. Grandfather fought in WW2 and my father fought in the Korea War and Vietnam. My grandfather tried to forget but my father fought wars till his death in dreams and in life.

Today war is alive and well. More soldiers are being trained to fight, to kill.

"What make the grass grow, blood, drill Sargent."

"We find God in the foxhole. I was told. I wonder if God is listening?"

The eve of destruction. Maybe today, maybe never? I hope never. Men, fight and fight. And no-one can win. Today 10 active wars and 8 conflicts in our world. Where are the children safe?

I go to Lake St. Clair. I pray to her. Please Gods of life and death. Please help my world. We need healing, we need safe place for so many people in my world.

Once I believed I had a hard life. I saw death cities, I put many people in mass graves and I saw starvation. I learn. My life wasn't so hard. 

Old and wise saying. If you don't demand peace, you support war. Today I pray for Ukraine, I pray for the people in Russia, in prison for being against the war. 

Today we are teaching the young men and women to fight. When they return home, blood on their hands and confuse. What will tell them? They killed for the good of our world.

Coyote

Author's Note

Thank you for reading and the comment.

Reviews

[Carola]

hi coyote,
shocking what bullying countries' presidents order their troops to do for the bully's own benefit, & they don't give a sh.t about the people's homes, families or mental health or their communities.

i think, young soldiers are deliberately selected to do the slog work, because their consciences are still developing, & at their younger age probably don't dwell too much on taking someone's life & the loss to that family.

it's my belief everyone should write & complain to presidents, politicians, bureaucrats, organisation leaders, or whomever, it's only people collectively complaining that can cause change.
cheerio carola

[Coyote Poetry]

Me too dear Carola.

[knighngale]

Hellos, Cayote, I find war scary and mortifying.
Father, Grandfather and then son to war, :S
War is hard. Sometimes, many are hard on soldiers,
they say, Vietnam was a disaster, love the rea, hon (Maynard)🤨

[Coyote Poetry]

Thank you Maynard for reading and the comment. I fear my grandchildren will be following my footsteps. Old world is heading toward more wars. Not peace.

[knighngale]

You know, sometimes peace is just an ideal for disaster, hon, :S🤗😋 love the video hon

[Soren]

Coyote I had a great great great grandfather fought under Washington, my great grandfather fought under Stonewall Jackson, my grandfather in WWI, my father in WWII. Their responses to war "It was all a bunch of foolishness." Well written.

[Coyote Poetry]

Soldier's learn. Their friends had died. They know war cost so much. Thank you Soren for reading and the comment.

[Cherrie]

Like you I come from a long list of soldiers. My father fought in WWII and Korea. My brothers in Vietnam. As did uncles and brother n laws.
War is a terrible thing. But when evil men rule it is inevitable. As a people we must be willing to defend our neighbors and as a nation. If we do not hold the tyrant at bay he will just keep spreading his evil. Today I too pray for the Ukraine. Let the prayers on our lips be followed with aid.

[Coyote Poetry]

Me too dear Cherrie. Maybe the Russian people are able to stop the war? Thank you for reading and the comment my friend.

[Cherrie]

Yes that would be my first choice. It would save the most people all around.

[Julie McCarthy (juliesp..]

I play most of the songs Jacob wrote of too
Loved your write indeed John
No words can I say to try to explain how I feel what is happening right now in this world
Hope you well
Take care

[Coyote Poetry]

I pray for sanity dear Julie. The world is trying and I hope lack of money for Russia, can end this war. Thank you for reading and the comment.

[Julie McCarthy (juliespenhere)]

Take care John we must try to live each day and not dwell too much on it all but I know what you mean 😪

[keith]

are there innocents? any where? to not condemn is to condone?
to not stand, take up arms to defend? is that a crime against the innocents?

history is rift with the murders of war. the trials and tribulations of man.
the slaughter of innocence and celebration of horrors.
we argue we are civilized, humane, caring
there is place for whimsy, declarations of faith and love, puppy dog tails and all that is good.
but the poet, the cataloguer of wars brings to words the embarrassments of it all
the worst are the $$$ w****s that profit!
artists included ... somethings are meant to be done for free ... for the good!

[Coyote Poetry]

You may be right my friend. Men been fighting since the beginning of time. Maybe men want the good death. I saw death, there is no good death in war. Thank you for reading and the comment.

[Chris Shaw]

Nothing changes, I don't think it ever will dear Coyote, however much we pray for peace. There have always been wars and we never learn the lessons. We never learn that there are no winners, there is only destruction, death and broken minds. I have my places to go where I too reflect on our world and wish for healing. If only I ask myself.....Your words remind me that there are many, many people who are praying for peace in a world hell bent on destruction.

Chris

[Coyote Poetry]

I agree dear Chris. Many people trying to help the Ukraine escaping the war. I believe you are right. Men must fight. Thank you for reading and the comment.

[John the Baptist]

I like the way you have linked the Ukraine war with conflicts of the past. The wars are different but the reasons are the same: tribalism and power lust. I try to stay positive, to remind myself that we're still evolving, but sometimes it is difficult. Don't get me started on the slaughter that is taking place on our streets now.

[Coyote Poetry]

I know my friend. I wonder if men must fight? Thank you for reading and the comment. I do appreciate.

[jacob erin-cilberto]

I play this song to my classes...as an example of a protest song from the sixties that is just as relevant now....I also play Monster by Steppenwolf, Universal Soldier by Donovan, For that it's worth by Buffalo Springfield and With God on our Side sung by Joan Baez.

and they see that those songs...are just as relevant today.

[Coyote Poetry]

Each song, meaningful my friend. Bob Dylan, God is on our side. Another one. Thank you Jacob for reading and the comment.

[jacob erin-cilberto]

Yes, Dylan wrote it....but have you heard her live version from 1966? Spectacular...I think that was during the time they were seeing each other...
Dylan and Paul Simon were the best songwriters...
Your work always brings me back to the sixties.
j.

[Coyote Poetry]

I have both their poetry books up to 1989. They are very large. Both were amazing writers Jacob.