Arleen   I look at this child my grandnephew Not yet two years old The energy the innocence And just love him Reflecting on the brief life thus Musing on the future possibilities Sadden at the diabolic plots that awaits A victim, a casualty before the fact   I look around for his mother And she is nowhere around Missing her child’s best years Off on a war that kills Not yet two years old And I know something is immensely wrong This picture, these scenarios  Mothers leaving babies at home Gone off to kill not yet two years old Upholding this savagery This constant assault on our humanity   I look at my sister A mother, a grandmother Taking care of the Not yet two year old, her grandson Her child off on this war Where it is kill or be killed And I wonder of her Her thoughts about her child today The one she struggled so hard to bring up When those sending her child off to war Didn’t even give a damn about them both   Now I look at these women Ones held up as role models Pitching for war  Echoing the lies of their men Asking mothers to leave Not yet two years old behind To look at mothers  Other not yet two years old As colateral damage  Because their lives stood in the way Of greed, injustice and empire   I look at these women These mothers Defending wars of aggression Wondering if they too Missed their children’s best years Considering how easy they find it Offering up another mother’s child To be a victim of this horror Known as warfare while sanctioning The worst state of human depravity Human torture And the means does not justify the ends Because savagery is what it is Savagery   I look at these women Like my sister and her child Mothers Unlike my sister, advocating war With no child of their own Living the carnage of war Not prepared to give as good as they ask for While echoing the call for more barbarity Upon other mothers The killing of other mothers The not yet two years old And I wonder if they give a damn About our humanity   I look to all these women Mothers To bring to an end The killing of the not yet two years old Not offer up their children to wars To kill or be killed  Be seen as colateral damage Part of the human depravity   Not echoing calls to barbarity I look to these women Mothers To Lead us to our humanity Championing justice and equality The only solution Echoing song of freedom Acclaiming truths and rights Upholding our integrity, Preserving our morality Defending our civility So when I look to see  A not yet two years old playing I also see a mother enjoying Her child’s best years And being thankful for her mother’s love.     [Home] [About] [Contact Us] [Poetry] [My Poetry] [Featured Poem] [User Poems] [Three Poems] [Events] [Guidelines] [Legal]