Philosetry (poetic philosophy)
Sticks ‘n Stones... & Broken Bones
atoms, anthrax, neutron bombs,
slingshots, stones, a sharpened stick,
Agent Orange, Glock quick-loader,
does it matter which he picks?
ask the radiation burned,
ask the blistered, dying ones,
ask the broken, battered bodies,
ask the mothers, daughters, sons
arrow, spears, cross-bows, cannon,
napalm, phosphorus spread wide,
'smart' bombs, torture, traps trip-wired,
does it matter how they died?
ask the breast impaled and bleeding,
ask the voices screaming wild,
ask the lamed what parts are missing,
ask the grieved, “Was that your child?”
armor, weapons, ordnance, arms,
safeguards, protective armament,
'defense' budget, your income taxes,
does it matter where it’s spent?
ask the children shot at recess,
ask the teachers knifed in school,
ask the dead and dying millions,
ask them, “Why is killing ‘cool’?”
alligator purses, cowhide cases,
kid gloves, handmade pigskin boots,
blue suede shoes, a sharkskin wallet,
does it matter which he shoots?
ask the trapped and butchered ‘gator,
ask the baby goat who’s skinned,
ask the pig as its throat’s slit open,
ask the shark while it’s defined
ankle-length chinchilla, sable,
silver fox, Blackglama mink,
fleece-lined jackets, fur-trimmed parkas,
does it matter what they think?
ask the creatures raised in cages,
ask the lambs born just to die,
ask the wild, free-living beings,
ask them, “Are you less than I?”
appetizers, antipasto,
Sunday roast, cheeseburger rare,
caviar, crisp bacon, trout,
does it matter if they care?
ask the sturgeon, slit open, eggless,
ask the cow whose child is “veal,”
ask the trout when hooked and gasping,
ask them all, “Is your pain real?”
assassination, murder, war,
genocide, Manslaughter One,
execution, hunting, fishing,
does it matter why it’s done?
ask the widow left alone,
ask the orphans, parentless,
ask the victim’s sole survivor,
ask them who to curse or bless
ask yourself which death you fancy,
ask how you’d prefer to go,
ask why you don’t stop the killing,
when all you have to say is, “NO!”
if all would,
all killing could,
as well it should,
be ended...
so, ask yourself and all around you,
“Why won’t humankind be mended?
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