Yearnings For The Home : War and aftermath.
A man is strong: he doesn’t cry
You’ll never see revealed inside
He keeps it deep, so never try
To read what he does need to hide.
You took a boy, sent off to war
Just like his Dad who went before
And sent him from his gentle shore
Taught him to kill and so much more.
A lad you took from home restrain
You taught him how to kill and maim
Showed him Cairo’s sex – free rein
And then just sent him home again.
You gave him an Egyptian whore
And destroyed his social more
Then sent him home with wounds still raw
You never asked him ever for
To talk about that bloody war.
A man is strong: he doesn’t cry
You’ll never know what he may hide
How he could ever justify
Why he took his child not bride.
His boy is strong, but sometimes cried
For a Dad who was not his guide
His sisters all messed up inside
And one who prematurely died
Of drugs, abuse and suicide.
The cause of pain he left behind
Still affects his younger kind
If you could look inside you’d find
Your war completely fucked his mind.
.
A man is strong: he doesn’t cry
You’ll never see revealed inside
He keeps it deep, so never try
To read what he does need to hide.
You took a boy, sent off to war
Just like his Dad who went before
And sent him from his gentle shore
Taught him to kill and so much more.
A lad you took from home restrain
You taught him how to kill and maim
Showed him Cairo’s sex – free rein
And then just sent him home again.
You gave him an Egyptian whore
And destroyed his social more
Then sent him home with wounds still raw
You never asked him ever for
To talk about that bloody war.
A man is strong: he doesn’t cry
You’ll never know what he may hide
How he could ever justify
Why he took his child not bride.
His boy is strong, but sometimes cried
For a Dad who was not his guide
His sisters all messed up inside
And one who prematurely died
Of drugs, abuse and suicide.
The cause of pain he left behind
Still affects his younger kind
If you could look inside you’d find
Your war completely fucked his mind.
.
6 comments:
Home . . . it is where everything starts. My thesis was on home.
Joy always,
Susan
Such powerful words - and an even more powerful message. I'm infuriated by war memorials in rural areas that show a HUGE proportion of young men killed for 'god, king and country'.
I hope your message gets to those responsible.
A very deep and truthful poem. It speaks to me..my grandfather was a stern man who went to war, and came back to treat his children (my father & uncle) harshly & without love. And so it went on, to the next generation, to us.. well written Jim.
Hi Red, Yes, looking at those memorials does make you wonder why!
Thanks Susan, the poetry does explore some hidden aspects in our homes, and asks why? Why are some men not the loving, caring and protective fathers? Did they not have good role models from their fathers who went to war? Some of the family situations I am aware of, when you take a look back through the male generations there is a pattern of their fathers, and in some their fathers going off to war.
Hi Louise, you reinforce what this poem is about. But when you look at your generation, and their children who are now adults, there is a growing awareness- a few who are taking positive steps to try and provide good nurturing loving homes for their children. I see nowadays some good people no longer prepared to allow this pattern to continue. I see people using the internet to write about these situations, and gaining the strength to make change.
BTW Louise, after I read you post, I decided to post this up. Thanks.
OLD men still sending young people off to die..shame on all of them.
Jim if you write poetry we might collaborate sometimes
http://jpweddingphotograpy.blogspot.com/2011/05/collaboration-with-poetess-alpana.html
for all the vets who can not cry i say thank you for this poem god bless you Jim.
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