Conscientious Objector

Conscientious Objector

 

 

 

The lives you cost, the truth you defame

Not in my name.

The lies you spew are all the same,

Not in my name.

 

The screams that holler as you sleep at night,

It’s not my fight.

The shadow the threatens all that is right,

It’s not my fight.

 

War pig politics and propaganda news,

They’re not my views.

The lines your blur when you attempt to confuse,

They’re not my views.

 

Hypocrisy preached in the God you sell,

We’ve gone too far to tell.

After all is done you’ll wish you were in hell,

Oh, how far we fell.

 

So it went on without so much change,

So much killing, sorrow, anguish and pain.

Another voice, but just more of the same,

Mr. Bush-Obama, not in my name. 

Not in my name. 

 

 

By Keith Farrell

Reviews

[Sasha]

That picture is heartbreaking. As for your poem, I like it. The repitition is a really nice touch and I don't commonly see it used in the way you have. The fourth stanza was a favorite because you still had the repitition in it's own right but didn't repeat the same phrase. I also appreciate that you clearly and honesty expressed your views on the topic of war. Nice job.

[Samuel Dickens]

I'll not disagree with you, due to my being able to see both sides of a coin. War should always be a last resort, only after all else has failed, but it almost never is. I'm a Vietnam vet, and now wonder what it was we bought with those 55,000 lives. Iraq--no way should we have ever gone there. Afghanistan--maybe, but it doesn't look to me like our sacrifices there are worthwhile anymore. Now, as I did during Vietnam, I respect one's right to object.

[Raef C. Boylan]

Hi. Firstly, thanks for actually making contact rather than sending a 'blind friend request'. Came by to check your work out.
You've done a good job here with the AAAA BBBB rhyme scheme, kept it consistent without allowing it to dominate your message [some people end up struggling to fit syllables or find a rhyme and lose what they wanted to say]. In the last stanza, "change" is more of an imperfect rhyme but I personally prefer those anyway, and it didn't jar the rhythm or anything. Like Sasha says below, the refrains work well to hit home the narrator's strength of feeling about this.

I like how the title and the poem's content got me thinking about the concept of we modern conscientious objectors; back in the days of conscription, any male who wasn't in the war would have been classed as one [or, rather, 'a coward' because people were more easily swayed by propaganda]. Nowadays, you can be a soldier or you can be apathetic/ill-informed or you can be unsure or you can actively be a conscientious objector...there are probably other options too - it's less clear-cut. However, having said that, I've noticed that over in the USA the sentiment seems to be that either your support the war and 'our boys' or you're unpatriotic/practically a terrorist.
So maybe things haven't changed all that much.

Overall, a good write. Thanks for sharing it.

p.s. Maybe you could take a peek at my poem 'RAW on Terror'? It's like engaging in an anti-war dialogue on the Cafe today haha...

[zogzog]

i like it....with both parties to blame....

[Christina May Shanaberg]

I enjoyed reading this poem and it's content and it's title. I will look forward to seeing more of your work!