…
In Yugoslavia, on a beautiful coast
right when the Civil War started
mothers held their children tight.
I saw fear in the women’s eyes.
In Africa, outside a small village
I met poverty for the first time, the real thing
the one without food banks, without food stamps
the one without hope.
A mother held her hungry child tight.
A big belly full of nothing, too weak to cry
large eyes of an adult in the face of a toddler,
like he knew he wouldn’t make it.
The innocent victims are always the children
and their mothers who can’t protect them,
when we declare war on something
or someone who is hiding behind them.
In schools here where I live, kids are shot like rabbits
by crazy gunmen whose rights to carry and be armed
seem to be more important.
It’s politics, business, and cruelty protected by laws.
In the Ukraine, a little girl sings in a bunker
bombs falling close by, she shows no fear
like all children in all wars, she too hopes
for a better tomorrow to live a long life.
In Palestine and Israel, children are murdered
first by terrorists, then by revenge.
A fight for land, the games of politicians.
Will the battle of the gods ever stop?
The bad, the ugly, the war, the beast of hunger.
“Send coffins, not food” a mother cried two days ago.
Children pay the price of adult conflicts around the world.
And the death of the innocent continues.
…
I call every war a stupid war, regardless of the reason.
Poor little kids will be traumatised potentially carrying the effects through to the next generation.
Sadly, that’s so often the case.
They are the innocents who pay forever with painful memories or too often their lives. But as the common man what can we do? The politicians don’t want to listen once they are elected. It is a horrifying situation with no winners only a massive lists of living and dead casualties while the ones who wage the war sit back in their bunkers safe and sound. A very moving poem!
Sadly, you nailed it. I wish the politicians would be forced to go in the ring themselves. So much would change!
Poignantly expressed.
Thank you.
Such anguish do well expressed
Your words resonate deeply, capturing the stark realities that many face in our world. Your poem is a heartfelt reminder of the importance of empathy and understanding. Thank you for writing and sharing such a powerful and thought-provoking poem.
So very heart wrenching and the tendency is to look away to spare our own feelings, but we must continue to watch, to condemn, and to do whatever we can to stop the senselessness.
Most of us feel the same way. Watching the news right now is painful and I suppose it’s not much different in the UK. I do it in moderation, just like I handle chocolate, a little bit goes a long way. 🙂
I feel for children. In the past they could be shielded from such horrors but now there is no way to keep the images from them.
Heartbreaking.
Sadly, yes.
My heart breaks for the children and victims of violence. Your poem is heart-wrenching, but we cannot look the other way.
I agree with you Kymber. I hate to turn the news on these days it breaks my heart every day. Thank you for reading! Have a great weekend. I am glad you are back.
Thank you so much. I’m trying to catch up on things I missed. Your blog was definitely a must! 🙂 I’ve missed your thoughtful content.
It is heartbreaking to watch and I must admit we are no longer able to look at the continual news scroll on these events. Why is it that common sense is so rare these days? Leaders still think they are conquerors and forget why they were elected. When did they exchange empathy for anger. My son is right, nationalistic tendencies are the enemy of peace. Allan
I find it hard to watch to and feel like I want to tune out, but then I remind myself too much bad has happened because ‘we’ were not looking and I continue to inform myself -but I am on a time limit these days. “Limited news only!”
Heart wrenching and only getting worse.
I am afraid so and the world is watching.
Yes so sad with these children and all over 😢 our world . They are so hungry
Anita.
and sadly too often they are dead 🙁
So sad and they are dead.