~ Understanding War – Oxymoron ~

The Understanding

I am an oxymoron
And deal with it each day.
You see, I hate
The haters in the world and
Won’t indulge in their play.

Being me, I take the time
To step into their shoes
And gander from the
Other side.
But I have naught to lose.

From minds of hate come
Words that spew
With spit and with it phlegm.
They are meant to insult,
Belittle and tear up other men.

I hurl with those thoughts and words
And twist right inside out,
And finally end up screaming back,
My voice beyond a shout.

I hate you all you haters,
Who spin our goodness to your side,
Who use the work of angels

And force them to collide.
Who set apart all goodness,
Peace and harmony to satisfy
The anger, pain, injustice that
You feel.

And through these words and actions

Be what they may ,
The oxymoron lives in most
And will not go away.

&

I love the love of lovers,
The opposite of sins.
Rose-coloured glasses suit my face,
Forcing the look in.

Who am I to judge the lovers,
Sinners; in between,
Parked out in the suburbs
With oceans in the seams.

&

“You cannot know the meaning of the hatred I’ve endured.”
Said one great man who suffered
Through the casualties of war.

”To move my family out from  a country we adored,
To save the children from the bombs
And death and terror by the score.

“ To live in shackles though appear
Free to do just what we will.
What does it look like, woman,
As you peer down from your hill?

“It’s not the way you think it is
You’ve not walked in my shoes…
My family is safe for now
But so much has ensued.

“The blasting of hand grenades
Now feel like simple firecrackers,
Machine guns belting at our home
Has come – it hardly matters.

“Our food you see is on our plates,
And we must eat our dinner.
Too many times the bombs
Have struck and
Not produced a winner.

“So packed our bags,
Each one of us,
And split our kinfolk far and wide
Until we can go home again
When our enemies subside.

“Judge not our anger
Nor our hatred of
Injustice to our people,
Take a look a whole lot deeper
And listen to us as we speak.

“Feel the pain that’s recent,
And know the pain that’s past.
Then divulge to me of love and peace
And harmony that lasts.

“Cus talk is cheap as
People say – it’s action that is heard.
But action gives us casualties
And hurts our people more.

“I’m not saying you are wrong
Or suggesting you think different.
Just realize
There’s going to be a
Residual effect
Even of the kindest individual…

“And that,
We, too, pray for the day 

That peace is in the wings, 

And if hate’s a sin we look
To God to forgive us of those things.

“For we are human beings
In a world that’s just not fair.
And sometimes in our hearts
We find that we don’t care.
Beyond our own survival,
We sometimes do not think.

“We are oxymorons too,
In an elaborate web of hate.
We are oxymorons
…absolutely, just like you…
We find we hate the haters too.”

---

This poem is a commentary based on a true story about the suffering of one  family and what they dealt with during the Iraq war. A fortunate family whose members survived to tell the tale. War is not about one country, religion or its people. The casualties come in all forms and sizes. The misunderstandings and misconceptions and residual effects are heartbreaking. Hatred is not a solution, and I have no solution to offer except what I try to do myself – not hate and realise the shoes the ‘enemy’ wear also fit your own feet if you ever try them on.

Lesley, (Without my rose coloured glasses.) 

The Understanding and the other poems on this Blog, along with most of the artwork can be found in my  fourth book, ‘5 Pillars of the Gypsy’ – which will be available very soon in e-book format. It is currently for sale in an 8.5 x’s 8.5 inch paperback format at many on-line retailers. I have had tremendous feedback and reviews of which I am so appreciative. Thanks to all who support me by following this and my other blog and reading and sharing my work. I am really thankful for all I have.

Related articles

• Haters gonna hate! (thelawsunveiled.wordpress.com)
• let go of that Anger! (iampinks.wordpress.com)