The Truth of War - A Poem I Wrote Just Over a Decade Ago (when I was almost 14)

[Druidus]

I edited it a little bit from its original state, and I also added two stanzas at the end. I'm not sure I like them enough to keep them in, but I decided I'd just throw them in anyway.

Please, any comments are welcome, whether thoughtful derogation or explained compliments. lol, remember I wrote this long ago, when I was much younger. I cringe to read parts of it now, with the wisdom of years more experience and practice.


Truth of the War


If we are to fight our wars
Let us view it as it is
For otherwise,
We are lying to ourselves
In imagining that we are just


Is it just to fight these wars?
Should we kill, in the name of peace?
Is it noble to destroy
To wreck and ravage, sunder and ruin?
These I ask you, and many more


To define ourselves we view our countries
We see the actions, choices and words
And when we deem them satisfactory
We choose to be happy
Never, though, do we see the bad


The horrors caused are lost on us
We blot them out and stop the plight
At least in our own minds
But does this really help?
No, except to us, who follow blindly


Truthfully, the only war we fight
Is with ourselves, and our choices
Do we act on what we know is right?
Or let our judgments fall, in sync with peace?
For the Truth of War is quite apparent


For every missile used
For every shot fired
For every weapon made
And every weapon used
We are unjust


Unjust to those in poverty
Unjust to those who starve
Unjust to those who strive for life
Unjust to those with disease
Unjust to all who strife


And if only we could cease our wars
If only we could end the hate
And stop the fights, the horrors
Then perhaps, we could stop the pain
Perchance, we could end the strife…


Are we brave enough for such a task?
To end our dark lusts for blood?
We MUST be or become so;
For without our courage to remake the world
Then it will spasm and wither into silent death
We will follow in its fate.


Is there cause for hope?
Not without a champion
Not without a Voice of Reason
The world needs a hero
To all, advice: Become that hero.
We are who we choose to be
And the hero will not rise unaided.

 

[Raz]

I know what it's like finding poetry you wrote from a thousand years ago and being horrified by it, but I think we are our own worst critics too...this is pretty insightful for having been written when you were 14!