Happy Poetry Friday! (Wondering what Poetry Friday is? Click here.)
I’m sharing more poems for teens/adults over the summer, when not as many teachers are looking for children’s poems.
I wrote this one sometime over the past year. I know there are certain accepted “rules of war.” And there’s outrage when civilians are targeted. And I get that. But I also don’t get that. I just don’t understand war at all, and why killing is okay in the context of war. This is no disrespect to our military. I have family members who are/were veterans, and I’m proud of them and grateful for them. But I’m also so depressed that war seems to be a human condition that’s never going to go away.
On that cheery note :>D, here’s my poem:
And for lots of wonderful poetry, don’t miss the Poetry Friday Roundup with poet-educator Margaret Simon at Reflections on the Teche. She’s sharing some lovely gratitude this week.
17 Responses
Whew! Spiraling down into mud. I agree that it seems wars will never go away. I am currently worried for a friend of mine who is traveling back to Ukraine because her father died. Even without daily bombings, he died without electricity in over 100 degree temperatures. So many people innocently affected. Totally unfair!
Geez, so sad. 🙁
A powerful poem to be sure, Laura. I especially like the refrains and how you made them slightly different. And that ending — “our future is spiraling down into mud” — well, doesn’t that just about sum up what’s happening now.
Thanks, Rose.
Laura, I feel this so deeply. There is so much tragedy happening right now, and it’s so hard and I feel so helpless. The future spiraling is truly what it feels like.
It’s a lousy way to feel. 🙁
Laura, what a poem. The rhyming, the format of the poem, and starting with the Candyland metaphor is powerful juxtaposition to the war topic. And it seems so perfectly appropriate because, it’s true, war is ridiculous. That last stanza is painful. Thank you for your voice.
Thanks, Denise. I wasn’t sure whether to share it or not…
I’m glad you did.
You are not alone, Laura. In what world does it ever make sense to kill? I applaud you for the courage to write and share this. I wonder what the world might look like if we sent our kids/family off to learn Peace?
That’s some training the world could use. <3
It’s especially nerve-wracking these days because Trump would hand Ukraine over to their invaders. What a nightmare the news is. Thank you for getting down in the mud, Laura.
Thanks, Tabatha. I don’t really like writing social justice poems, but this one demanded it, for some reason.
Laura, your website looks so inviting with the new background. I agree with you that war makes no sense. It often saddens me to think about the death count. Your poem speaks with passion. Words such as destroy, discard, shatter, spiraling make your statements strong. Great Work!
Thanks, Carol! My daughter found some possible backgrounds for me, and this was the favorite for both of us! Sometimes it’s so hard not to think about the mess we’re making of our world. Thanks for reading.
Thank you for looking this hard topic in the eye and writing about it. It’s one thing to witness the flowers and butterflies, but just as important to witness the wars and genocides.
So many hopes shattered in wars as your poem so powerfully, and at the heart or war describes. Thanks for sharing Laura, hope there is still hope somewhere out there…