Poem in Mourning

Weary as an old plow,
dulled blades from too many rotations,
rusty red,
Death looms on every channel.
Don't they ever tire of the swords?
Slicing brains like so much red meat,
cleaved in the womb,
No blood, just catsup, to give it that
all American flavor.
Savor It
is what we have made it, gourmet
sushi,
served with
bitter herbs and ginger,
under headstones
made of ash.

ⓒ 2010 The Unknown Candidate

To Our "Winter Soldiers"

My heart broke today
From the sounds of pounding ammunition and gun fire
In the form of raging words once weakened,
Muted by uniforms and camouflage,
Pinned to taut skin
Flooded by memories of crimson puddles,
Charred flesh ….
And I cried, my brothers, I cried
Pools of salty tears, evaporating
At the bases of magazine stands—
Colorful covers and elusive models,
All knowing, all-telling.
But where are you, brothers, where are you?
My sisters were silent,
Their chords severed by the unknown force
That drives the machine, peddle-less.
Automatic.
March in line!
Hear the voices bark commands!
Watch as the cities fall!
The whispers from your lips
Grip my bones and shake them violently.
Forever altered, forever dismembered—
Begging for attention, admission,
Forgiveness
All leading and weaving through paragraphs
And powerful pauses.
The absence a sure sign,
The shattered pieces of innocence
Sprinkled across tattered flags.

By JoAnna Michaels
© 2008 (Posted with permission from author).

Technorati tags: Poetry, Iraq, War, Winter Soldier

Reflections ...

... Good ones, from a young friend, with her permission, reposted here:

In a culture where the loss of life is less valuable then the worth of the stock market

In a culture where rights and justice are discarded with loose trash

In a culture where diversity and debate have taken a back seat to plush politiking

In a culture where a woman's right to choose is equated with murder

In a culture where health care is a privilage and not a right

In a culture where apathy has strengthened its iron fingers around the necks of so many

In a culture where the few "haves" decide the fate of the "have-nots"

In a culture where fear dominates foreign policy and legitmacy

In a culture where military spending is more important than public education and the restoration of a country

In a culture where religion is used as a tool of hate to divide our nation

In a culture where violence is encouraged

In a culture where dissent is considered evil

In a culture where literacy and learning are dangerous

In a culture where nature and the environment are simply replacable commodities

In a culture where economic power is used to stiffle social justice

In a culture where citizenship means national id cards, chips, and tracking devices

In a culture where food is engineered and created with little knowledge of its origin

In a culture where our elders are cast aside and rendered useless

In a culture where a cell is considered more valuable than the life of a woman or man

In a culture where hate, racism, and ignorance dominate the air waves

In a culture where money controls the media

In a culture where wars are fought like video games and diplomacy is considered a useless tactic..........


We find ourselves hopeless and waiting,

Wondering where the next answer will come from

A hidden prize in a sugar cereal

A fortune cookie

While the news keeps spinning

Lives are taken with each exhale

And the fortunate sit waiting, perched in high towers

Billows of smoke from Cuban cigars

Plastic smiles and hidden agendas....

Original Post

Technorati tags: Poetry, United States, American Culture, American Politics, op ed