War

This is an arena of war 

conflict amidst primeval 

tribal

unreasoning support 

support for their soldiers 

their colours displayed

war paint across faces

stood amongst their own

flags with village names proudly displayed

allegiances laid bare as this battle commences 

Sergeants leading the men

jumping up and down they scream

arms around each others shoulders

they become soldiers of war

as if prepared to fight

prepared to die

chanting well rehearsed songs

jeering incorrect decisions 

cheering progress on the battle field in front of them

mocking those in charge 

worshiping their Generals 

mauning the loss 

saluting their warriors in winning 

the battle

winning the war 

the war that is this game

...this game of football

War Is Never

I am a pacifist 

I believe war is never the answer 

I believe one life lost in a war 

is one too many.

I was never a soldier

I never fought in a war 

I was never pushed out of the back of an aeroplane

to dangle by a thread

dropping to a probable death

high over enemy held territory - and neither was my father.

He and his father - my Grandad

lived in a pit village

my Grandad worked in a coal mine

coal mining was a reserved occupation 

and as such

miners were not called-up to fight for their country in conventional ways

he worked to dig out coal 

the coal the country needed to fight a war

for its power stations

power for its factories 

factories to make munitions 

munitions to fight a war

coal to power the trains to get it to where it was needed

so my Grandad was never a soldier either- unless you count being in the 'Home Guard' as being a soldier

ready in the evenings and weekends when he wasn't working at the pit

he never belonged to a regiment 

he never fought and died in a famous battle

he never lost endless comrades.

he never got any medals

and is not buried in a far off land

Now don't think I don't care

don't believe I can't see what those who fought and died - gave

for I know so many gave everything.

My relatives gave

but they gave in a different way.

My thinking is shaped by my history 

as much as yours is too

I don't sit and muse over my Grandparents medals - as perhaps you might

I don't have their uniforms in my loft

nor have I copies of their war records.

If you think harshly of what you've just read - read my words again.

...I believe war is never the answer.

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