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and what will fortell the dreaded contact?
and how will the stupid human race react?
will we all go out and take a panic attack?
and realise that we are not the only Godhead of creation
and who cares about these stupid green men Mars apparations?
and will it go like the broadcast of Orson Wells?
and cause panic on the West Coast like Hell?
or will we watch it like the wars that the TV hates?
broadcast to us at convient times, allowing us Not to relate
our patriotism however to inflate
and incinerate those appalling babies
like you would do to a rotten dog with rabies
those children don't have scabies, it's napalm!!!
and we munch our popcorn and don't give a damn
it's our side that is right!!!!
and we will crunch them with our military might
played to the music and sound of "The Future" of LC fame
we crunch the able and obilerate the lame
and the aliens remembered those savages, of ape like walk
that grunted and never could talk
but smashed each others head open with a rock
and what has progressed in this civilised earth
of gentle men and their increased girth?
weapons of mass seduction?
No, unfortunetly, weapons of mass destruction

Thanks to you Vesuvious, for the inspiration and the encouragement
Georges

Dear Georges ~

The strength and rightful anger of your poem come out concise and clear in these powerful lines, amongst others:

".................................................................
broadcast to us at convenient times, allowing us Not to relate
our patriotism however to inflate
and incinerate those appalling babies
like you would do to a rotten dog with rabies
those children don't have scabies, it's napalm!!!
and we munch our popcorn and don't give a damn
it's our side that is right!!!!
and we will crunch them with our military might
....................................................................."

"....................................................................
we crunch the able and obliterate the lame
and the aliens remembered those savages, of ape like walk
that grunted and never could talk
but smashed each others head open with a rock
and what has progressed in this civilised earth
of gentle men and their increased girth?
weapons of mass seduction?
No, unfortunatley, weapons of mass destruction
......................................................................"

I share the painful anger that led to your writing of this piece.

~ Elizabeth

A powerful poem, Georges.
The brutality and sheer inhumanity of it all becomes very tangible.

I would like to quote Catholic monk Thomas Merton (d.1968) who was deeply committed to peace and dialogue. Speaking both as an American and a man of God, Merton says:
" When I pray for peace I pray God to pacify not only the Russians and the Chinese but above all my own nation and myself."
This was written in the days of the Cold War, when impending nuclear devastation seemed a real possibility.
The essence of it, however, is universal, and I would especially like to point out the last two words - and myself.
This is the great challenge, and not only for spiritually oriented people. If we are ever going to see peace on a large scale, this is where it will have to begin - within ourselves.

As a comment to this, I want to share with you the lyrics for the song World War Three by contemporary singer Stuart Davis, who in his own inimitable way blends humor and reverence:

There's gonna be a World War Three
one more world war
and I get killed in World War Three
I get killed

Here's how the whole thing starts
religion gets seduced by art
and hearts burst like grenades within
when something whispers "pull the pin"

Right now they're building Gandhi
they're gonna bomb our ass with love
and bring us to our knees
just using what we're made of

You can't fight what has no form
you just can't fight what has no form
Cuz every time you introspect
you dream up ways you could defect

So close your eyes and plug your ears
and go to battle
but when the whisper comes your world unravels

That's not a normal army
they kiss the enemy
with lips that blow your head off
and set your spirit free

If I only knew
who to surrender to
If I only knew
how to surrender


And this, in essence, is the great challenge for our day. Consciously moving toward a planetary culture of love, cultivating a true global compassion. It has to start with oneself...

Blessings of Peace,

~Taigaku

An afterthought: "religion seduced by art" - is this not very much what Leonard Cohen's work is about?

Hail Taigaku!

Thank you, for your wise and insightful commentary here. The blade of Truth, ever and always, 'cuts both ways'.
(The song is brilliant!)

Love,

Makera

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
"and every heart to Love will come, but like a refugee"

Georges....this one reminded me of something Jerry Seinfeld said - my favorite philosopher along with John McEnroe ( i am definitely a child of the pop culture).
Anyway it is on his Live on Broadway DVD and goes something like this (of course I can't do it like him):
"A long time ago men started indulging in activities - like fighting - which they soon realized posed a danger to their heads and brains as skulls were easily cracked. So in their infinite wisdom, men, instead of ceasing to pursue these dangerous activities - like fighting - used their brains and invented helmets. And that's how this whole thing got started."

Kush, the helmet evolved into Star Wars......................
and the whole sordid story goes on
if man instead of spending money on weapons and defences, spread a little wealth, there would be no poverty
Georges

Yup....bronze helmets to missile defence shield.

Surely 'defence' (shield) is an improvement over 'offence' (unjustifiable attack).

~Makera

Good point, Makera. However once the helmet's are put on, man suddenly becomes and looks very war like. The money would be better spent elsewhere.
Georges

Isn't the purpose of the "defense shield" to prevent their getting "us," whilst still allowing us to get "them"? Not an intervention to war, but a self-serving-only protection for "us"?

Lizzy, an observation if I may, the phrase in your own statement " ....while still allowing us to get THEM"..." reinforces George's point of putting up the war -like stance. It's like saying "come on , we're ready for you, just try and take us if you can"

Hi Margaret ~

What I meant to convey with the "us/them" references in my posting is that, that is the divisional mentality behind the defense shield. Killing the "enemy" and the "enemy" 's children [the "them" being the overriding perspective] is one thing, whereas the reverse, "them" killing "us" and "our" children is wholly unacceptable ~ hence, the defense shield. As long as the "us/them" divisions are made, there will always be wars, as there will never be an "us" or an "our[s]" or a "we" [in the collective, non-divisional sense]. I'm sorry if that didn't come through in my posting. Any quick trip back to one of the war threads, however, will quickly clarify my perspective on that issue . Thanks for commenting, in case others took it the way you did [if I'm understanding the way you took it correctly ]. At least this way I got to clarify right here and now.

~ Elizabeth

I (and George and Jerry) merely pointed out the functional similarity between bronze helmets and missile shield defence. We're still trying to protect our heads.
p/H ....you are sorely missed.

Ah, Margaret! You meant like the defense shield being the great helmet in the sky ~ in fact~ yes? "Bigger and better" calls for "BIGGER and BETTER" ~ exactly as you, George, and Jerry were saying, Kush!

The disclaimer might be, "The locales of the helmets may differ."

~ Elizabeth