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The Siren Song of War




THE SIREN SONG OF WAR

In a darkened place, composers deep in human thought
move morbid notes along staffs of rhythmic measure,
educating the instruments of war, and once taught
they strike up the band, in infinite jest and pleasure.

The melody of conflict, beguiles, soars and confounds,
denying any attachment to mystery and muse.
Bleeding openly within meters limiting bounds
it can both transfix the soul, and the mind transfuse.

War excites man's soul, with brutal salted tears,
dressing patriotism in horror's bloody rags.
The whistle of missile the last sound a nation hears
razing populations, but raising wind-whipped flags.

Martial harmonies driving the steps of our dance,
propaganda we select and choose to die for,
wrapping soldiers in the lie of heroic romance,
mankind lives and dies with a taste for war.

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Shared with those word warriors over at DVerse Poets.

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This poem appeared in "Breathing for Clouds" available from Big Table Publishing.
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©2014 Christopher Reilley
 
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  1. Kim M. RussellOctober 24, 2023 at 4:08 PM

    A powerful poem, Chris. The music metaphor works well: the composers moving ’morbid notes along staffs of rhythmic measure’; the ‘melody of conflict’; and ‘martial harmonies’. These lines stood out:
    ‘War excites man's soul, with brutal salted tears,
    dressing patriotism in horror's bloody rags’.

    ReplyDelete
  2. Sherry Blue SkyOctober 24, 2023 at 9:01 PM

    "Dressing patriotism in horror's bloody rags" - that just says it perfectly.

    ReplyDelete
  3. brudbergOctober 25, 2023 at 3:17 AM

    What a terrifying way we have creating the world by glorifying war... in the long run we always glaze the past with the gold of heroism and adventure.

    ReplyDelete
  4. Gillena CoxOctober 25, 2023 at 6:30 AM

    Bravo on a fantastic poem. Congratulations on your book.

    Much💛love

    ReplyDelete
  5. BillOctober 25, 2023 at 3:57 PM

    WEll done.

    ReplyDelete
  6. robkistnerOctober 25, 2023 at 11:38 PM

    “mankind lives and dies with a taste for war” — oh, how I wish that weren’t true my friend, how I wish. ✌🏼

    ReplyDelete
  7. DoraOctober 26, 2023 at 12:15 PM

    "razing populations, but raising wind-whipped flags" -- Perfectly worded. How deathly tired the world should be seeing these images flash across our screens, enough to end all wars.

    ReplyDelete
  8. purplepeninportland.comNovember 3, 2023 at 9:02 PM

    A powerful poem, so well written.

    ReplyDelete

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