War Poem

[[This is another poem I wrote in High School (circa March 2009) in the same class as "Yellow." The assignment for this one was to have a war poem. That was all the description said, so I wrote this. I'm not sure if it really reflects how I feel, but my teacher said it was the most powerful of our poem project and she didn't have any editing tips!]]

War Poem

Gripe and complain, gripe and complain;

You're all hypocrites.

You cry for peace and even make signs,

Draping yourselves with symbols of love

Claiming to live what you preach.

You're all hypocrites.

.

You gripe and complain at the news on

Your way to buy toy soldiers. Your children

Watch you to learn, but how can they while

You also promote them to play with

Tanks and battleships?

.

You love your children, as well you should, yet

You praise their sketches and pictures of war.

You tell them to play and hand them a gun. What's

That? It only shoots water, you say? Then

You turn to your spouse and gripe and complain

About a far away desert. You say they want to

Come home and they hate the heat, but

Your son plays the same game in

Your own backyard.

.

Instead of your tangible figures, you now buy

An animated army--slaves to your controller.

The scene becomes more graphic, but

You only think to get a higher score. You never question

The principle of the game, however

You gripe and complain when actual

Decisions of war are made.

.

Gripe and complain, gripe and complain;

You're all hypocrites.

You cry for peace and even make signs,

Draping yourselves with symbols of love

Claiming to live what you preach.

If you're going to gripe, then don't play the game;

If you play the game, then don't complain.