On The Twelfth
After Eleven the world was our friend.
Our nose had been bloodied but with strength we’d defend
the national interest with a calling to fight.
The enemy was clear and the mission was right.
On Afghani soil lay snakes in the weeds,
And in Saudi madrassahs where terror does breed.
All was aligned for this country to glisten.
A leader would speak and a people would listen.
Change our direction with selfless conviction.
Ask for commitment to end the addiction.
Now six years later and where do we lie?
Afghani chaos and bin Laden won’t die.
Talib resurgence while we chose a distraction.
Iraq was the target for a full-throttled action.
Though never a threat and weapons were naught.
A foe was devised and a nation was caught
in blind, mass hysteria that fed on its fear.
By “patriot’s” fervor for all we’d hold dear.
Yet now through the maelstrom of insurgent division.
“Mission accomplished?!” What a foolish decision!
So the target is shifting within grandeur’s design.
If we fucked up Iraq than Iran’s next in line.
These mad men and women, how they’ve recklessly laid
thousands in grave sites from mistakes that were made.
And where is the progress ‘cept in masquerade charts.
A “Betrayal of Trust” and the losing of hearts.
Once we were mighty, yet now that seems lost.
Our place of high standing paid in torturous cost.
A moment of sacrifice was not asked or demanded.
Kept our addictions and tax cuts were handed
to the richest of cronies who would bath in their wealth.
To hell with the people or the national health.
Rhetorical excess will go on unabated.
Their fervor for war cannot be satiated.
Misdirection as weapons (there they are!) while all facts fell aside.
Constitutional freedoms, bit by bit are denied.
Time is upon us, really long since gone past.
For stopping this cowboy while the dye has been cast.
Copyright SGW 2007
After Eleven the world was our friend.
Our nose had been bloodied but with strength we’d defend
the national interest with a calling to fight.
The enemy was clear and the mission was right.
On Afghani soil lay snakes in the weeds,
And in Saudi madrassahs where terror does breed.
All was aligned for this country to glisten.
A leader would speak and a people would listen.
Change our direction with selfless conviction.
Ask for commitment to end the addiction.
Now six years later and where do we lie?
Afghani chaos and bin Laden won’t die.
Talib resurgence while we chose a distraction.
Iraq was the target for a full-throttled action.
Though never a threat and weapons were naught.
A foe was devised and a nation was caught
in blind, mass hysteria that fed on its fear.
By “patriot’s” fervor for all we’d hold dear.
Yet now through the maelstrom of insurgent division.
“Mission accomplished?!” What a foolish decision!
So the target is shifting within grandeur’s design.
If we fucked up Iraq than Iran’s next in line.
These mad men and women, how they’ve recklessly laid
thousands in grave sites from mistakes that were made.
And where is the progress ‘cept in masquerade charts.
A “Betrayal of Trust” and the losing of hearts.
Once we were mighty, yet now that seems lost.
Our place of high standing paid in torturous cost.
A moment of sacrifice was not asked or demanded.
Kept our addictions and tax cuts were handed
to the richest of cronies who would bath in their wealth.
To hell with the people or the national health.
Rhetorical excess will go on unabated.
Their fervor for war cannot be satiated.
Misdirection as weapons (there they are!) while all facts fell aside.
Constitutional freedoms, bit by bit are denied.
Time is upon us, really long since gone past.
For stopping this cowboy while the dye has been cast.
Copyright SGW 2007
4 comments:
Wow. Wow. Wow. When I read the title, my mind went straight to the 12th day of Christmas. (Go figure.) But there I was reading this biting poem about our debacle in the Middle East to the rhythm of "The Night Before Christmas." You bowled me over. What a marvelous piece. So full of passion. It is a tour de force.
I especially like this:
These mad men and women, how they’ve recklessly laid
thousands in grave sites from mistakes that were made.
Thank you very much, Sandy. I love the expectations you came in with given the title, and how you put that to use in then reading the piece. Your comments are greatly appreciated.
Another excellent work.
I found out today that my former commander was the first US military casualty of 2008. He was more conservative then I and we had many great debates. If you get a chance, stop by his site to read his last post. He wrote it to be published if he died. The link is up on my site.
Thank you and I will read about your commander. I hold nothing but complete respect for the men and women who choose to serve this nation. They are courageous patriots, who deserve our thanks.
It is so tragic to hear of ANY of them dying in an unjust cause (and Iraq is an unjust cause), and it is equally so when they return home wounded and receive "partial" care from our government. All of my anti- Iraq war poems are written as much for our brave men and women who serve, as for anyone else.
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