The Thundering Sky

The US is bombing Iraq again. Well ain't that just swell.

The Thundering sky 

The Banshee's screech 

She breathed her last sigh

His hands out of reach 

Together forever

A place beyond time 

Remember forever 

The thundering sky 

Author's Note

I'm wagering what pops into your head when the News Anchor says the words "Airstrikes" and what pops into mine are two drastically different scenes. I'll bet the collateral damage caused by the US airstrikes on ISIS never get so much as one second of air time. Dead Iraqis from American ordinance isn't good for the propaganda campaign and every military action has an accompanying propaganda campaign to sell it. The bottom line is if we hadn't had fucked Iraq up eight ways from Sunday to begin with we wouldn't be dropping bombs on swarms of militants now. Think of ISIS as a gang of unemployed, mostly unmarried young men driven mad by violence and lead by criminal psychopaths finally getting a pay check to send home. Most of the atrocities are committed by a small group of blood crazed fanatics who do nothing but commit atrocities because they're blood thirsty criminals and the rank and file militants refuse to do it. Most of them are there for the adventure and a paycheck because there's fuck all other options. Most of these militants did the same thing I did when they signed up. The place they called home sucked ass so bad they joined a military force to escape. Their behavior in the field, well, that's another story.

Reviews

[Frieda P]

When you pour your heart out, these writes always get me right in the gut Baby...such a sad reality for many.

[Baby Ricochet]

Thank you Frieda

[Rita L. Sev]

I only wish this was a nightmare rather than truth, but I know you are brutally honest, Mark - and it is a truth we need to know. Thank you.

[Baby Ricochet]

Thank you Rita

[Coyote Poetry]

I went to two wars in Iraq. A re-run. I don't know. Had not to see the enemy killing the Kurks in the mountains. You are damned if you do and damned if you don't.
Coyote

[Baby Ricochet]

Thanks Coyote

[Tai Ryens]

Stunning work and the method by which you portray this current event allows for your readers to empathize easily and feel for the victims of the Iraq bombings. It truly is a tragedy that innocent must die because of the decisions of other people and the desperation that their own people feel when they are being pressured by an outside force and the fact that they are unemployed, unable to support their own household. Well done Baby, always speak the truth.

[Baby Ricochet]

Thanks Tai

[TL Boehm]

When humans don't value life...they don't protect it - we the species are raising up a dancing plethora of peeps who just don't value the miracle of breathing - and therefore we are casual with the gift. Well penned Rico.

[Baby Ricochet]

Thanks you KL

[Marie]

All I ever think is "Here we go again." THis is not going to stop until the gods get bored with it and decide a change of scene is in order...

[Baby Ricochet]

Thank you Marie

[Leigh]

Hi Baby,

Your poetry is directed at the most upsetting and painful subject of all, that of war and human conflict. This makes it moving and have an impact, which is hard to ignore. There is quite justified anger and bravery in your words, giving them animation and in need of discussion and hopefully resolution! It's funny how war poems and plays like Warhorse from WW1 are popular a 100 years after the event, meanwhile numerous other wars have occurred and poems about them not so popular, i.e. war becomes romanticised.

[Baby Ricochet]

Whoever you think you may be you never really know until you get caught in combat. Seeing your buddies, young men you've been though hell and back with, seeing them being maimed and killed in horrifically violent ways, it breaks your humanity to a point where all you want is revenge on everyone. When my unit was deployed to Iraq it didn't take to long before we were watching everyone through rifle sites.

[Leigh]

I'm glad you made it back

[Lyn Anderson]

Your poetry speaks volumes, and your raw honesty in your notes is so "refreshing?" that's not the right word, but it is. I think you are an amazing person, not painting yourself in a favourable light, but just telling the truth.

[Baby Ricochet]

Thank you KL

[Troy Henson]

So much truth and emotion in your writes.

[Baby Ricochet]

Thank you Troy

[jacob erin-cilberto]

say it loud, Mark.

Iraq all started when Daddy didn't finish the job and Son decided to do it for him....put is in the wrong place for the wrong reasons....and now it is such a clusterfuck we are back with more airstrikes...history repeats, and not for the good.

[Baby Ricochet]

That's for sure. Thanks Jacob