For the Record
by Adrienne Rich
The clouds and the stars didn't wage this war
the brooks gave no information
if the mountain spewed stones of fire into the river
it was not taking sides
the raindrop faintly swaying under the leaf
had no political opinions
and if here or there a house
filled with backed-up raw sewage
or poisoned those who lived there
with slow fumes, over years
the houses were not at war
nor did the tinned-up buildings
intend to refuse shelter
to homeless old women and roaming children
they had no policy to keep them roaming
or dying, no, the cities were not the problem
the bridges were non-partisan
the freeways burned, but not with hatred
Even the miles of barbed-wire
stretched around crouching temporary huts
designed to keep the unwanted
at a safe distance, out of sight
even the boards that had to absorb
year upon year, so many human sounds
so many depths of vomit, tears
slow-soaking blood
had not offered themselves for this
The trees didn't volunteer to be cut into boards
nor the thorns for tearing flesh
Look around at all of it
and ask whose signature
is stamped on the orders, traced
in the corner of the building plans
Ask where the illiterate, big-bellied
women were, the drunks and crazies,
the ones you fear most of all: ask where you were.
I read a good article about the fort Hood shootings. It's from UTNE reader and looks at PTSD and how people who have never been deployed can also suffer from the psychological effects of having gone to war.
The war is wrong. All war is wrong. The decision to stop fighting and live just, equitable and fair lives must be made. We need to use the resources we have to SHARE this world, not hold on to as much as we can. Those who have too much must have less. Those who have insufficient, have to be given what they need. We can use all the navy vessels, airplanes and armoury to transport what we need around. International bodies do not police, they redistribute. The international socialist dream it is be achieved with peace. We are mature now, and can see that anything beyond the basics ourselves is unnecessary as long as a child starves. As long as a refugee exists.
What we are doing now costs us all too much. Even the winners are losers in the end.
The clouds and the stars didn't wage this war
the brooks gave no information
if the mountain spewed stones of fire into the river
it was not taking sides
the raindrop faintly swaying under the leaf
had no political opinions
and if here or there a house
filled with backed-up raw sewage
or poisoned those who lived there
with slow fumes, over years
the houses were not at war
nor did the tinned-up buildings
intend to refuse shelter
to homeless old women and roaming children
they had no policy to keep them roaming
or dying, no, the cities were not the problem
the bridges were non-partisan
the freeways burned, but not with hatred
Even the miles of barbed-wire
stretched around crouching temporary huts
designed to keep the unwanted
at a safe distance, out of sight
even the boards that had to absorb
year upon year, so many human sounds
so many depths of vomit, tears
slow-soaking blood
had not offered themselves for this
The trees didn't volunteer to be cut into boards
nor the thorns for tearing flesh
Look around at all of it
and ask whose signature
is stamped on the orders, traced
in the corner of the building plans
Ask where the illiterate, big-bellied
women were, the drunks and crazies,
the ones you fear most of all: ask where you were.
I read a good article about the fort Hood shootings. It's from UTNE reader and looks at PTSD and how people who have never been deployed can also suffer from the psychological effects of having gone to war.
The war is wrong. All war is wrong. The decision to stop fighting and live just, equitable and fair lives must be made. We need to use the resources we have to SHARE this world, not hold on to as much as we can. Those who have too much must have less. Those who have insufficient, have to be given what they need. We can use all the navy vessels, airplanes and armoury to transport what we need around. International bodies do not police, they redistribute. The international socialist dream it is be achieved with peace. We are mature now, and can see that anything beyond the basics ourselves is unnecessary as long as a child starves. As long as a refugee exists.
What we are doing now costs us all too much. Even the winners are losers in the end.
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