They said, “The peace couldn’t last for too long.” You could hear the acrid breeze moving through the leaves. You could see the diseased air stripping the trees.
My daughter asked, “Daddy, what does it mean?” I answered, “Things are about to become scary. So be wary of the character of strangers you meet.” Roll up the welcome mat and close the doors. We don’t need to breathe in the rotting air of angry words.
Shut the windows and close the blinds. The men are marching by in lines in the formation of one angry fist. Up in arms over what we’ve all since forgotten or started by a problem built too high to see over in order to discuss a resolution. “Come away from the windows and sit over here by us!”
Justice doesn’t provoke a war, but privilege justifies it’s existence. “We will squash them!” The floating head shouted from the television. The image of a gated community, Summer home, and luxury vehicle shown through the ornate watch on his wrist and fit of the shirt on his back. Promoting something he wouldn’t participate in, nor would his progeny.
“Daddy, they look like people, like us?”
“Yes they do Brown Bear. Because they are us.”
Take aim lil’ soldiers you ain’t ready for war. They dragged their rifles across the horizon, while charging the hill. “Son!” I yelled out to bring him back. Kissing collected crosses, stars, and other religious lucky charms that hung heavy under heads too underdeveloped to understand the ideology – nourished by their war games with sweetened haze and nothing pies. How could they know better than adults who stood by and did nothing? And really, what does it matter when Heaven awaits all involved. One for the crescent, two for the cross, three for the star, and four for their loss.
Childhood interrupted, the season of endless giggles drew to a close, hopeful to return in Spring, when new life and new vines grow children carefree again. From children to adults, organically grown, warming under the Sun and blossoming under the Moon. A time where rumors of war are children’s stories, told only to ensure their feet are tucked in at night, the lights are off, and hugs are exchanged before, “Good night.”
—
“Old men start wars, but young men fight them”
– Albert Einstein
by malakhai jonezs
(C) Copyright 2016
Powerful! Love the Einstein quote.
Thanks Christine! I appreciate the read and the connection.
Very powerful, my friend. Thank you for sharing this.
Thank you for reading, Bruh!
Powerful, honest and true words. What did we leave for our kids?
Thanks John! What did they become because of it?
Reblogged this on johncoyote and commented:
Worthwhile and powerful words. Please read the words of a talented writer.
Thank you again John!
You are welcome. Good words need to be read by more people.
Powerful and frightening. I particularly like “the rotting air of ugly words.”
Thank you Jan! I appreciate the feedback!
I really enjoyed your writing and thought it was a great message. When you used the word “privilege” what did you mean? Was it a reference to the announcer in the next paragraph who advocated the war knowing he wouldn’t have to participate?
Thanks Nick! That’s a good question. It does two things. First, you got the reference to the announcer. The other meaning it holds is that we mostly go to war over the notion of ownership, property rights, resources. That’s another reason why I make note of what the announcer owns, who is calling for war. In today’s wars, ( the only ones I know of) the ones with the least are the ones doing the fighting or getting caught in it.
Interesting point. I totally agree when speaking of international conflict, but couldn’t you also argue that domestically the disenfranchised and oppressed populations of the world are often the ones to spark revolutions against their governments? That’s not to say that those campaigns don’t have elites within them pulling the strings, but compared to their oppressors they most definitely are not fighting from a point of privilege. Just a thought. Upon first read, I had thought that sentence was going to end with a Machiavellian reference to the tune of “victory justifies war”, which might explain why I’m hung up on “privilege.”
I can see your point. I am not really speaking of a revolution brought on by the oppressed (I’m assuming there aren’t any elites pushing some alternate agenda). My piece is more about the oppressors and those who feel obligated to something through ownership to feel the need to pick up arms and those of us who do nothing. I’m more so, in the do-thing group and I need to be out of that group on many topics.
I see. Just a thought anyways. Thanks!
Awesome drop, great messages.
Promoting something he wouldn’t participate in, nor his progeny would accompany. – apart from war being a terrible thing, that point always stick with me. No politicians send their own or themselves there. At least before a Napoleon fought. Now its distanced, and sadly I think that encourages wars to continue, or invasions depending on the nature. Killing a man feet away is hard to do, to order someone else to do it using a drone, or whatever the means is very easy.
Yeah, Fionn! War is a nasty business, to put it lightly. Anybody talking rhetoric about going to war should be the first to sign up and the first to drop their boots on the frontline.
I believe it was Carl von Clausewitz who said “War is the continuation of politics by other means.”
Some philosophical theorists believe war is a fundamental part of human nature. I can see their point, under war, humanity has evolved faster than it ever has in a peacetime state.
Aircraft, ship technology, production efficiency…
Great viewpoints Nam!
This line right here is the one I really love,
“We don’t need to breath in the rotting air of angry words.” This is why I don’t have a TV and why I only check world news from time to time. I do not want hate slipping in my heart through my eyes and ears.
Wonderful piece of writing.
I have to say, it is not our children who will change the world. They are as lambs to lions. Adults must change so they can raise children who will not raise arms. Children often become who their environment is. Adults make environments, not children. Children carry on the traditions of the generation before them. I’m saying, adults have to be willing to seek peace and pursuit it, to shut out hate just as you have written here and as you instructed the little one to do.
Faith
Thank you Faith! First, I appreciate you taking your time to read my work. Second, I appreciate you engaging in a dialogue on it. Feels good to read a perspective from another mind. I agree with your points with regard to needing to have the adults change in order to produce children of peace. I wholeheartedly agree.
I think the young people have the ability to create change! We are the ones who are branching away from tradition. Malakhai Jones, could I reblog this?
It is a thought provoking piece!
I agree with your sentiments on the young. Seems you’ve had a reversal in thought or an augmentation of your previous comment. Please go ahead and reblog. I’m flattered by the request.
Have I had a reversal in thought?
I thought u stated in an earlier comment the parents had to raise em up in the new direction. It may have been a continuity of thought and I misunderstood. That happens to me quite frequently – that I’m wrong. 🙂
No worries haha! We are human – we all make mistakes!
I like this. You should check out my war poem, let me know what you think.
I like your war poem. Thanks for sharing.
wow- this is awesome friend- could see it all in my head
Thanks WLP! Hope things are going well.
Things are fabulous MJ 😉👊🏻
Good to hear👊🏾👍🏾😃
Touching
Thank you.