Down to the killing fields
The killing fields …
Now you ride long into the night
seeking the man
his skin the color of ivory
the ivory you cannot stand
And You’re still fighting for God and Glory
your flag still hangs so high
is the problem the pride of man
of which we’re ever asking why
Tearing down those granite figures the ropes
so taught with hate
the children marching from the campus’
the writing assignments late
But who directs the children marching the teachers
or the consciousness of man
who’ll clean up the pieces when they’re done
who’ll finally understand
Are we moving again to the killing fields
to the rumble of wagon and cannons thunder
are we ever going to learn the lessons
till there’s no more to plunder
The graves are overgrown now the markers
long since moved aside
got to make room for the new ones
get ourselves ready to ride
They prayed one day an end to war and yet
seems no one was listening
Move aside I see the columns coming
the sabers polished and glistening
And who invented the term tis’
just a “civil war ”
Who’ll invent a peacetime where a young man’s death
will come not ever more
Let’s move on down to the killing fields
and plant a garden of stone
with name and date upon the granite
till not one boy is left alone
- Open Range - May 2, 2024
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- Do not stand at my grave ………. - April 19, 2023
Great work, Ed. Why? is what I also ask. There is no end to the killing fields where young men die for “the cause” – and what is the “cause” if not for the power-hungry world leaders who demand war?
Such a poignant message, Ed, and well written. Thumbs up!
Nicely penned Ed. It is in man’s nature to be a predator and is his own worse enemy and I am afraid that the killing fields will always exist. Fate and wars it would seem restore the creator’s balance of the this often sad world.
Have to agree with Kurt here. War unfortunately is a natural balance of order even to the lowest form of life. It just so happens our killing fields are cast everywhere in every corner of the earth, and war will never stop until we cease to exist. The only thing i question is what we are fighting for, because that answer has become very cloudy and uncertain as of late, from the basic social scale to the military hand. Nice work Ed.