THE CRIES OF WAR
by Jodie Senkyrik, ©, 1996

“The winds of war blow heavily,”
said the father as the little boy listened.
“and the sounds of drums beat loudly.”
and the boys cried on and on.

“We find the reason to fight all along,”
he said as he listened politely,
“and to put our hearts in front of the gun.”
Then the battle smoke rose densely,
and the blood river flowed intensely,
and the women cried on and on.

“We cry the battle cry and cry again,”
I said as my little son listened.
“when we lay our brothers down.”
“then we hold our weapons in our hand
near ready to do it over again”,
and the children cried on and on.

“No one knows why we kill each other,”
he said as my grandson listened.
“And we call each other’s death,”
“but, we fight with our eyes closed readily.”
The soldier’s tears fell steadily,
and the men cried on and on.

“The earth is mother to us all,”
she said as we listened intently,
“and go to war if you must,
but, know that mother’s cry steadily
and dead father’s give only their dust.”
And we all cried on and on.