(x = space)
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x
Battle Cry
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The war goes on
I know war from
Reading
All Quiet on the Western Front
Johnny Got His Gun
The Red Badge of Courage
Funny war in
Catch-22
Romantic war in
Anything by Alistair MacLean
And
The Lord of the Rings
I’ve seen videos of
Hiroshima,
And I see images of Ukraine
All of which means
I don’t know anything about war
I don’t know the ripping pain
Of bullets
The sounds from
Many explosions
The sounds of people
Wounded
And the dying
All in states of dying
Mortal life leaving the body
Violent upheaval into judgment
All out of place
Before its time
An outrage of angels
Crying from all sides
The risen and the fallen
I hear stories
Read them
Hear them
Imagine them
And let them in
It’s not the real thing
But it’s something
Enough to think and feel
And cry against
And I have perspective
While those who call for war
Haven’t any
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C L Couch
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Photo by British Library on Unsplash
1914, World War 1. Highland Territorials in a trench. Photographer: H. D. Girdwood.
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clcouch123 
March 3, 2022 at 6:22 pm
Powerful, especially the last line
March 3, 2022 at 8:49 pm
Thank you, it seemed a good way to end. I’m glad you think so!
March 4, 2022 at 1:25 pm
The ones baying for war are generally the last ones to leave their armchairs.
March 4, 2022 at 5:25 pm
Isn’t that the truth? (It is.) Great to hear from you. I hope you are all right.
March 4, 2022 at 7:37 pm
I’m okay, thanks. WP doesn’t send me any notifications from anyone (four exceptions, and I have no idea who one of them is) so I lose track of people. Hope your health is bearing up.
March 5, 2022 at 10:29 pm
WordPress also sends me notifications oddly, sometimes randomly it seems. I’m doing all right. My heart seems to be working pretty well. I’m still suffering with the neighbor above me who makes loud noises all the time and I think deliberately. It’s been an awful time to look for a new place, and there are more important concerns happening in the world that do use up my concentration, if not my time. Please take care or, as the Buddhists say, go slowly.
March 4, 2022 at 2:50 pm
Hey Chris! I would like to re-blog this post. It captures the almost giddy folks that are all excited about the Russian invasion of Ukraine. Thanks for the REBLOG button permission.
March 4, 2022 at 5:27 pm
Hi! I very much appreciate your response and your re-blogging. I hope you’re really well!
March 4, 2022 at 8:16 pm
Hi Chris! I admit I’ve been a slacker when it comes to my blog. I’ve been having computer issues, maybe need a big restart, which I hate to do because of the vast amount of “stuff” I have on it. Did you happen to see The Hunt for Red October last night on AMC? Really…how subtle the news people are.
March 4, 2022 at 8:19 pm
Actually I’ve been well, a bit politically demoralized, but otherwise well….just old. I’ve been careful this winter because I don’t want to fall and break anything.
March 5, 2022 at 10:25 pm
I can understand the pain from politics and simple, getting-older pain. There’s so much happening, and we need the news, but you’re right about news people and subtlety. As for blogs, I think they can have elasticity as we each decide what we decide and do our best. I’m not sure how I got into the discipline of writing and posting each day. I don’t think of it as discipline. And I give myself the freedom not to post if I don’t have anything or if other things are pressing. I’m glad and relieved to know you’re being careful in winter.
March 4, 2022 at 2:55 pm
Reblogged this on SOMETIMES and commented:
This excellent post by my old blogger friend C L Couch, aka Chris, who has been around in my blogosphere since the beginning… 2011… Thanks, Chris.
March 4, 2022 at 6:22 pm
You’re welcome–and thank you.