Hairsbreadth
They’re our stock in trade:
Persuasion;
Coercion;
Negotiation;
Compulsion –
We wield them all as weapons of war undeclared
Upon the eternal theatres of ‘Us and Them’
And the only slightly smaller stages of ‘Me and You’;
Determinedly pushing back the other’s frontiers and frontlines
To where we would personally prefer them to be
In some spectacularly myopic perspective on reality
With attacking formations of Division-strength information,
Artillery bombardments of laser-guided arguments,
Platoons and dragoons of situational analysis
Designed to decimate and induce paralysis.
To every proposition a counter position,
For every suggestion a stock ‘No’ rejection,
Ever a ploy or a trump to be played,
Every inch of ground - a mile to be made;
And yet.....
If we ever would wish to take the peace dividend
Recall our forces, put this madness to an end,
What on earth could we hope to hold in common
With a foe whose injuries can’t be forgiven or forgotten....?
Stray a hairsbreadth from where you know your heart true
No matter what anyone would have you to do,
No matter how close or loved they may be
It’ll rankle and hurt you eventually,
And similarly.....
Try to think before you would seek to implore
Someone else, for your sake, to leave their own ‘shore’,
For they’re sure to leave something of themselves behind
Not the least of which, their peace of mind.
A unique cry for change and for peace. If not by having our eyes opened completely by this great poem, then how? Says it all!
I wish I could add a comment but Alison and Fay have summed it all up so eloquently. You do use a heck of a lot of military analogy in many of your pieces which I find delightfully unique to your writing style and incredibly ironic for such an anti-war guy. Nice one!
Wow! You have certainly presented here a most impressive and poetic argument (love the alliteration and rhyming couplets) against the unrestrained use of 'myopic' strategies to manipulate human behavior. Your military metaphors are first rate and the final stanza smacks of something personal, perhaps? Powerful, persuasive writing indeed. Love, Allie ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥
Applause - loud and clear for this excellent rant against those four dragons of forced opinion - - too true the usage of strategy foibles are common but oh so inadequate. A powerful reason to take up the advice of the final two stanzas - - - thank you Tony.
Excellent Write! a poignant piece that makes thinks before making a comment about it...But , since all the words have been expressed, I have nothing else to say! Well penned, my friend! Love and Peace...