The w***e bath

Sometime we must think and make wise decisions.

The w***e bath
 
 Large shining teeth.
Telling me the way to heaven.
 
 I will find my way to paradise by the gift to his christian cause.
 His teeth seem to shine brighter.
 
His mumbling of a thousand words.
Leave me feeling dirty.
 
I get a damp cloth and wipe away the words of a greedy man.
 
 
 The captain tells me.
" I own you. "
 
"You do what I say.
Even  to death.
I'm in-charge."
 
 I try to wander away.
 But he keeps speaking.
 
I feel dirty and go to the latrine.
I get a damp cloth.
 
Another w***e bath in a life where the words are eating away at my soul.
 
 I sit in a classroom.
 The instructor asked me?
 
If I was ordered to kill.
Would I?
 
I tell him I would kill him first.
But my words become weaker with each second the instructor speaks.
 
 He shower me with his blood song and I began to understand.
 
The sweat pours down my face and I go to the bathroom.
 
One more w***e bath for a man drowning in useless words.
Forced to accept for a few pennies.
 
Beliefs only a mercenary could believe.
 
  Maybe if I was a high paid w***e.
 
 I could live with the things I must do.
 
 But nothing as bad as a cheap w***e.
 
                     Coyote
 
 

Author's Note

Two Soldiers in Iraq were told no prisoners. They killed two Iraq men. Is this a excuse to kill or a man who did not use wisdom?

Reviews

[Dennis Shanaberg]

Wow.
I'm amazed at the skill used in this poem. The different levels of interpretation in it are reminiscent of some of the greatest classic poets. I see traces of Eliot and Dickinson in these lines, and that alone is impressive.
All of these different "w***e baths" are all tied together in their questions of morality, and it leaves the whole concept of it so mirky.
This appears to lie in the fact that neither the preacher, the teacher or the captain truly can see the truth. An amazing piece that I am happy to have the opportunity to have read.

[Coyote Poetry]

Thank you Dennis for reading and the comment. You honored me with your comment. No-one win in war.

[Not here]

this was a really deep poem. great job! i liked it

[Coyote Poetry]

A very old poem. We must stand our ground for the right things or lose what we were.

[AlieahRose]

I READ THE...
TITLE AND DIDN'T...
THINK OF THE...
STORY BEHIND IT...
THIS IS HUMBLING...
THANKS FOR SHARING...

[Me]

A deep and powerful piece

[LinBin]

A poem to make us all think.......expertly done once again x

[trainwreck]

You always amaze me with your incredible work. Please, never stop your voice. Never stop crying out against injustice.

[Ice QueenJen]

This leaves me pondering lots of things. A very well written poem and the note you wrote makes you also wonder if some soldiers are nothing more than w****s who have to do the biding of the ones who are over them. I am sure your miltary background brought you to write this too!

[.]

wow that is powerful poetry - you have left me with a dry mouth as I ponder the question..we all have to make difficult decisions in life, what is right and what is wrong, is more demographic and time based..really this would not have been a problem even 100 years ago..even less than that..but we have become a race who embraces war but not death..I couldn't imagine that place those soliders found themselves in ..without all the facts I could condemn their decision..or agree with it..personally I think we are duped into war thinking that it is for the greater good but in fact it's a money making opportunity..we have to change the way we think about conflict before we can ever change it.. great poignant, clever, and interesting work

[Becky C Strukamp]

You have a marvelous way of telling stories through poetry. Each with meaning so deep and so relevent to our lives,thinking, living and being. Another excellent penned poem.

[John Jackson (El Juero)]

Your poem made this snot-nosed Civilian sit up and really pay attention. Too many thugs out there hiding behind the word 'Warrior'. Painfully few people know the true meaning of the word "honor'. I knew you understood, the first time I read your poetry.
Gracias, Amigo

I had forgotten that I reviewed 3 months ago, but words hit a person differently every time.

[A Risen Heroine.]

Nice write, i like the use of words.


~A Fallen Heroine~