Tuesday, December 25, 2007

War and Peace

The many minds of mortal men
Make mutual musing mockery.
Various views and vantage points
Make millions mutter “crockery.”

Though two men see the exact same scene,
Their interpretations differ.
And thus we have a war of minds
Which arguments just make stiffer.

There are those who refuse to change.
There opinions stand for seasons.
And those who curse the stubbornness
Of those who will not reason.

I think I’m right and you are wrong
And you’re sure you are right.
And so we spend our lives apart
Or in a controversial fight.

Is it possible to tolerate
An opposing point of view
And still be friends; negotiate,
And love each other too?

I guess if it were there’d be no war
Yet people keep on killing.
The horror of horrors that promised to end
Are repeated from cold hearts chilling

Will there ever be horrors bad enough
To make us say, “No More!”
To decide to live for once in peace
Because we’ve seen enough of war?

Is it possible to befriend those
Whose convictions disagree?
Bringing hatred to an end?
Must we just wait and see?

4 comments:

Mary Cunningham said...

Very thought-provoking poem, Janet. Did you write it?

If only there were no war. I'm afraid that "ship has sailed."

Janet Muirhead Hill said...

Thank you, Mary.
Yes, I wrote the poem. Poetry is recreation for me, and when I hear rhymes in my head, I try to jot them down and expand on them. I seem to have a poetry muse that speaks up every once in a while when my mind isn't too full of chatter. Fun, and sometimes, thought provoking to boot.

Yes, if only there were no war. Seems to be a constant on this planet, a tragedy from which we cannot learn.

Anonymous said...

Good words.

Janet Muirhead Hill said...

Barb, Thank you for commenting.
Janet