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.

[Libby McKeown]

I love the minimalism and imagery in this poem. I can see teeth. I own you. Despair and pennies. . .time to go out for a smoke and chew on this. . .

[Joiedevivre]

Wow this is like a shot to the conscience. Brilliant write. We are dictated to by authority figures through different stages of life. Guilt, power and dogma are powerful tools.

[FocusedAmnesia]

Amazing. I love the questioning of morality, along with the intense imagery. Just amazing. The description used for the piece was a great opener.

[Liza]

this was an intense and outstanding read; the personal experience and insight leaps off the page; we are faced with the reality that it is not humanity we are fighting for but power thru animalistic desire to dominate....

[CookieMonster♥&h..]

wow this is amazing

[nickchidiac]

nice work. a skillful piece.

[Sasha Curtis]

Whoa. Awesum. o:

[fatalsymphonies]

He shower me with his blood song and I began to understand.

thats so beautifully and simple yet complex. i enjoyed that line more than anything else.

[Ashesh]

these are exactly the reasons i hate rules and structure. the helplessness was very aching. thanks for sharing.