Return to war themes Poems on specific subjects and themes Return to home page
Book 21 Page 15
The either or’s of war
“Today is a good day to die” thought the soldier entering into battle.
“But it will be a better day if the enemy dies instead.”
“Today is a good day to put things right with the enemy.”
“But it would be a better day if they did it on their own accord.”
“Today is a good day to make my country proud.”
“But it would be a better day if it didn’t need this from me.”
Today is an either / or day.
Either I will die or’ someone else will.
Either I will win or; I will be defeated.
How did I and ‘we the enemy’ get into such an ‘either / or’ situation?
“Today is a good day to die,
but it would be a better day if the enemy dies instead.
And it would be an even better day still if no one had to die at all.”
© Written by Dominic John Gill www.poetry.net.au dominicj7@poetry.net.au Created on 6/3/00