Scattered Beliefs

A poem about preconceptions.

A man once asked me,
…..”What’s wrong with War?”
Death and Suffering
…..are only a small portion
…..of the bleak atmosphere.
War brings together nations,
Commerce,
Fosters familial bonds,
Is a merchant’s paradise.
And regardless of the never-ending
…..length of the conflict,
There is always the hope and
…..knowledge that it will someday
End.

A man once asked me,
…..”What’s so great about Peace?”
Calm and Prosperity
…..are but a small part
…..of the bright atmosphere
Peace leads to laziness,
Inactivity,
Breeds corruption’s canker,
Is a fool’s paradise.
And despite the interminable
…..crawl of peacetime,
There is always the fear and
…..inevitability that it will someday
End.

A man once asked me
…..these two questions of
War and Peace,
…..Questioning the beliefs
…..I “knew” to be true.
Took away my
Certainty,
Cast it into doubt,
Forced me to justify my thoughts.
And I finally replied,
…..”The faces of the mothers of
Sons lost in battle are enough
…..to convince me in the
End.