Moderm Man.

Blood red and the flags lay draped over bodies in time.

Laughter spoke that day we ruled the world.

Boys to men in months to years.

Shiny as the rifle older than dad's whiskers.

Used on stationary targets that one day came alive.

The day the laughter died

The day the human went back to the animal

Cunning and patient as the prey it killed

Part of the land where ancestors roamed

Killing to survive, to be free.

Thousands of years later

Modern man still hide behind the same rocks

The only difference, death is instant now.

Reviews

[Mrudula Rani]

This is a wonderfully wise portraiture of human race. How often we wonder... the distance we have travelled in time and progress hasn't improved our base instincts.

[Paul Bell]

Sad but true, Mrudula.

[Travis Gibson (poetic h..]

I interpreted this piece to embody the political struggles that have come of our "modern" sense of rule. Our ancestors had only the animals to compete with, whereas we have nations. Our young men/women hide behind those rocks firing at one another in the name of what? We are governed by those flags, ours used to mean something, and in my humble opinion... not sure if it stands for much anymore. Incredible writing.

[Paul Bell]

Flags for young men and women who die in the name of Politicians.

[Edie Blue Starfish]

From caveman clans to modern day gangs, there's always a power struggle and obviously not everyone comes out unscathed.

[Paul Bell]

True, the powerful nations always have bigger toys to play with.

[jacob erin-cilberto]

whether behind the rocks or wherever he hides, death is definitely instant...and so senseless.
Animals kill for survival, men kill for superiority...and boys should get to be boys much longer than they do.
really strong expression here, Paul.
j.

[Paul Bell]

I'm always amazed at the advances in medicine and science. Then we have the other advances man is great at.

[Wild Rose]

Target practise changed from coloured rings to shillouete of a man to make it easier to shoot the real thing

They dont hide behind the rocks modern electronics and guided weapons. You can sit 40 miles away and look on your screen get ordinants from the web to type into the guided weapons computer controlled system

[Paul Bell]

Old fashioned warfare still exists. The rocks, the woods, the grass still give the sniper his camouflage and opportunity to kill

[John Alexander McFadyen]

This has a dystopian air to it as you make the contrast between traditional warfare and modern warfare with its use of smart weapons. 'Modern man still hides behind the same rocks' perhaps? or 'Modern men still hide behind the same rocks'

[Paul Bell]

See where you're coming from, John. Sort of saying the rocks in those countries seldom change, just the generations.