War For Peace

Posted on August 15, 2020 by purplepeninportland

Written for: Poets and Storytellers United
Weekly Scribblings #32: I Am Explaining A Few Things (posted by Sanaa)

Your Challenge today is to write inspired by the title of Neruda’s poem. Feel free to address the current world situation, or perhaps delve into a memory of your own. Challenge the reader, surprise us with humor and wit, go solemn and dark or perhaps tender and romantic. The possibilities are endless!

There are always wars
purportedly for peace.
My father was in World War II,
the Great war of 
the Greatest generation.
My husband was in 
the Viet Nam war, the one
government officials deemed
'conflict'.  If blood is shed
on both sides, it is not 
a conflict.  

Soldiers come home broken
physically and mentally.
Some are homeless.  Where
are those people who wanted
their glory vicariously? 
Where is the help?

We carry scars of September 11th.
We mourn the dead in an arena
of fear.  Now we  fight an unseen
enemy–unpredictable disease.  Guns
and soldiers are useless here.
Pandemic rages and ravages 
without end in sight.  If this
war on disease ends, we may
finally treasure health above all.

https://poetsandstorytellersunited.blogspot.com/

About purplepeninportland

I am a freelance poet, born and bred in Brooklyn, New York. I live with my husband, John, and two charming rescue dogs–Marion Miller and Murphy. We spent eight lovely years in Portland, OR, but are now back in New York. My goal is to create and share poetry with others who write, or simply enjoy reading poetry. I hope to touch a nerve in you, and feel your sparks as well.
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14 Responses to War For Peace

  1. -Eugenia says:
    August 15, 2020 at 3:51 pm

    Well said! 🧡 💛 💚

    Like

  2. Helen Dehner says:
    August 15, 2020 at 4:36 pm

    The scars of war never dissipate. Like you my husband served in Vietnam 1967-68, never quite the same man who left us (I was six months pregnant with #4) and though I still love him with all my might, our marriage did not survive. Thankful to call him my greatest friend today.

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  3. revivedwriter says:
    August 15, 2020 at 5:09 pm

    Your words are powerful.

    Like

  4. gillena says:
    August 16, 2020 at 2:19 am

    A profound write Sara. May we receive the mercy of release frim the clutches if this pandemic soon

    Happy you dropped by to read mine

    Much💝love

    Like

  5. Kestril Trueseeker says:
    August 16, 2020 at 11:26 am

    We’ve all been drafted in this war, but some try to dodge their responsibilities by being divas about wearing masks. It floors me that such a simple thing is so controversial.

    Like

  6. sanaarizvi says:
    August 17, 2020 at 2:47 pm

    This is utterly and beautifully poignant, Sara! Thank you so much for writing to the prompt. 💝

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  7. 1sojournal says:
    August 17, 2020 at 7:28 pm

    Returning your visit to 1sojournal. Left a reply there for you, hope you return. Really like what you’ve written here. To some extent, the pandemic is a war in which we are all combatants, fighting to preserve our way of life and of knowing. We are being changed whether we know that or not. Can only hope that we allow for the empathy toward one another that you show in your words.

    Elizabeth

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