Saturday, January 27, 2007

Costs of Conflict

I saw War when I was young;
it found me where I lived.
Two sides conflicted in close quarters,
Vying for a homeland.
A battle raged from nothing,
Quiet is never peace.
Atom Bombs in the family room
Nightmares in my sleep.
Mother's tears fell like Agent Orange
and Father's words were napalm.
Be careful where you step;
Verbal land mines in the backyard.
I made a shelter out of blankets
but it didn't muffle sound.
My reinforcements crumbled.
Surrender, Surrender…
"You're a brave little soldier,"
they would say
but I didn't want this fight.
Papers were signed but there's no treaty.
I am a refugee from my own home
where we marked my height on the wall.
You can't take that with you.
My homeland is occupied now;
they have painted over my name.
War has a heavy price to pay
but you ask me "what’s the cost?"

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